Perspectiva General

George Vassos focuses his practice on advocacy before trial and appellate Courts, and before various labour boards, arbitrators, mediators, adjudicators, and other administrative tribunals, as well as strategic and proactive advice on a wide variety of labour and employment law issues. His work includes:

  • Employment contracts
  • Employment litigation
  • Wrongful dismissal litigation
  • Termination / reduction in force
  • Group insured benefits
  • Employment standards
  • Human rights
  • Administration of collective agreements
  • Grievances
  • Arbitrations
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

Before joining Littler, George was a Senior Partner with Kuretzky Vassos Henderson, which was three times named one of Canada’s Top Ten Labour and Employment Law Boutique Firms by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. Littler is proud to continue this honour, recently named by Canadian Lawyer Magazine as one of Canada’s Top Ten Labour and Employment Law Boutique Firms, 2016-2017.

Afiliaciones Profesionales y Comunitarias

Member

Canadian Bar Association

1977-present

Member

Toronto Lawyers Association

1983-present

Member

Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA)

1977-present

Member, Board of Directors

Macedonian Canadian Lawyers Association

2012-present

Member

Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers

2018-present

Member

American Bar Association

2016-present

Member, Board of Directors

Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario

2004-2008

Member, Board of Directors

Canadian Macedonian Place

1994-2000

President

Canadian Macedonian Place

1999-2000

Reconocimiento

Named, Leading Practitioners

Peer Recommendation in Employment Law

Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory

1997-2021 (25 consecutive years)

Named, The Best Lawyers in Canada©

Employment Law

2006-2025

Winner, Thought Leadership Award

Mondaq

Autumn 2023

Named, Employment & Labour – Ontario

Chambers Canada

2019-2025

Named, World's Leading Lawyers in Labour and Employment

Labour & Employment Expert Guide

2009-2016

Named, Top 100 Employment Lawyers in Canada

Lawday

2009

Named, Top Employment Law Practitioners Across Canada

Canadian H.R. Reporter

2008

Named, Best Lawyers in Canada, Labour and Employment

Financial Post Business Magazine

2007-2008

Named, Best Lawyers in Canada, Employment

National Post

2006

News, Analysis & Press

Court finds employers' discretion in awarding bonuses must be exercised fairly

Human Resources Director Canada

September 12, 2022

Arbitrator says employer can terminate employee who refused vaccine

Human Resources Director Canada

July 5, 2022

Union member's tort claim must be decided by court – not arbitrator

Human Resources Director Canada

June 8, 2022

Are employees entitled to paid time off to vote in the election?

Human Resources Director Canada

May 26, 2022

Court upholds determination that three taxi drivers are employees

Human Resources Director Canada

May 20, 2022

Can CERB payment be deducted from wrongful dismissal damage award?

Human Resources Director Canada

April 12, 2022

Working for Workers Act, 2022, introduced and carried at first reading

Human Resources Director Canada

March 18, 2022

Update on key legislative developments

Canadian HR Reporter

February 7, 2022

12 key developments in Canadian labour and employment law in 2021 – part 2

Human Resources Director Canada

January 18, 2022

Arbitrator upholds mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy

Human Resources Director Canada

November 26, 2021

Ontario issues guidance on proof of vaccination status for organizations

Human Resources Director Canada

September 24, 2021

COVID-19 vaccination policies mandated in high-risk settings

Human Resources Director Canada

September 3, 2021

Hearing upholds compulsory COVID testing policy

Human Resources Director Canada

July 21, 2021

Laid Off Over COVID? You Can’t Claim Constructive Dismissal

Human Resources Director Canada

June 25, 2021

Temporary COVID-19-Related Leave Bill Receives Royal Assent

Human Resources Director Canada

June 9, 2021

14 Key Developments in 2020

Canadian HR Reporter

March 9, 2021

Termination provision done in by ‘what if?’

Canadian HR Reporter

February 12, 2021

Employment agreements: The whole is greater than the parts

Canadian Employment Law Today

September 10, 2020

Parental Leave Legislation Across Canada

The Lawyer's Daily

November 27, 2019

Overview of employee leave entitlements across Canada

The Lawyer's Daily

November 1, 2019

Overview of minimum wage, hours of work laws across Canada

The Lawyer’s Daily

October 2, 2019

Overview of laws that impact employment, labour in Canada

The Lawyer's Daily

September 19, 2019

Employment: North America - Canada (Ontario)

Littler Report

August 29, 2019

Littler Global Guide - Canada - Q4 2017

Global Guide Quarterly

January 19, 2018

Bill 148 is Now the Law in Ontario, Canada

Insight

November 29, 2017

Littler Global Guide - Canada - Q2 2017

Global Guide Quarterly

July 11, 2017

Labour Law Overhaul

Canadian Lawyer

March 6, 2017

Appeal Court Upholds Award to Contractors

Law Times

February 22, 2016

Update on Labour and Employment Law Considerations in Commercial Transactions

Law Society of Upper Canada

June 10, 2015

Bashin v. Hrynew 2014 SCC 71: The Duty of Honest Performance

Law Society of Upper Canada

June 5, 2015

Just Case or No Just Cause?

Human Resources Professionals Association

October 22, 2014

Just Cause Update

Law Society of Upper Canada

June 6, 2014

A Focus on Fidler v. Sunlife

Law Society of Upper Canada

January 9, 2013

Libros & Capítulos

  • Just Cause Dismissals in Canadian Employment Law: Recent Developments, New Perspectives on Canadian Employment Law, LexisNexis, Chapter 3, chapter co-author with Adrian Jakibchuk, 2014

Speaking Engagements

The Coronavirus: What Should Employers Be Doing Now

Toronto, ON

February 6, 2020

2019 Canada Conference

Toronto, ON

November 21, 2019

Employment Law Update 2019

Toronto, ON

May 28, 2019

Bills 47, 66 and 57: Everything You Need to Know About the Never Ending Changes to Ontario, Canada’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 and Labour Relations Act, 1995 and the Indefinite Delay of its Pay Transparency Act

January 11, 2019

2018 Canada Conference

Toronto, ON

November 16, 2018

The Ever Evolving Landscape of Employment Law in Canada

Toronto, ON

September 21, 2018

Managing Group Insured Benefit Risks: Employment Law Considerations

May 15, 2018

Good-bye 2017, Hello 2018: The Canadian Legal Landscape is Changing

Toronto, ON

February 20, 2018

Ontario Employment and Labour Update - Bill 148: Compliance for Now, the New Year and Beyond

Toronto, ON

January 10, 2018

Ontario Employment and Labour Update - Bill 148: Compliance for Now, the New Year and Beyond

Toronto, ON

December 15, 2017

Second Annual Canada Conference

Toronto, ON

November 1, 2017

Employment Law Update 2017

Toronto, ON

September 18, 2017

Addressing Ontario Misclassification Issues Under Bill 148 and Preparing for Employment Standards Audits

July 26, 2017

Canada: Ontario Government's Proposed Legislation to "Create Fairer and Better Workplaces" Includes $15 Minimum Wage and Equal Pay for Part-Time and Full-Time Workers

June 6, 2017

Managing Benefit Risk: Employment Law Considerations

Canadian Group Insurance Brokers, Vaughan, Ontario

May 3, 2017

Important Employment Decisions for 2016 Affecting the Workplace

Toronto, ON

February 28, 2017

Inaugural Canada Conference

Toronto, ON

November 21, 2016

Senior Practitioners’ Panel

HRPA 2016 HR Law Conference, Toronto, ON

October 20, 2016

2016 Hot Topics for Ontario Employers

Toronto, ON

September 29, 2016

Navigating the New Gig Economy

Canadian Legal Update webinar

September 28, 2016

Removing or Changing Benefits: Assessing Risk From an Employment Law Perspective

The Williamson Group, Toronto, ON

June 23, 2016

The Rise of Dependent Contractors: Employer Beware!

Littler Webinar

May 25, 2016

Maintaining and Managing a Respect-Based Workplace and Preparing for Bill 132

Toronto, ON

April 12, 2016

Comparing U.S. and Canadian Taxation of Common Damages Paid in Employer-Employee Disputes

ABA Business Law Section Meeting, Montreal, QC

April 7, 2016

Employment Law for the Municipal Law Practitioner

The Commons Institute Webinar

February 25, 2016

You Asked, We'll Answer: Canadian HR/Employment Law Hot Topic FAQs

December 11, 2015

Update on Labour and Employment Law Considerations in Commercial Transactions

Law Society of Upper Canada

June 10, 2015

Bashin v. Hrynew 2014 SCC 71: The Duty of Honest Performance

Law Society of Upper Canada

June 5, 2015

Crisis Management Best Practices, Navigating Complex Cases

HRM Masterclass

April 17, 2015

Employment Law for the Municipal Law Practitioner

The Commons Institute Webinar

February 25, 2015

Assessing Risk with Respect to Removing or Changing Benefits

Empire Life Webinar

January 27, 2015

Disability Claims Management Course, Workplace Accommodations

Federated Press Conference

September 19, 2014

Just Cause Update

Law Society of Upper Canada

June 6, 2014

Employee Benefits Plans and the Evolving Legal Framework

Accurate Design Benefits & Insurance Agencies Inc.

February 10, 2014

Employee Benefits and the Evolving Legal Framework

Empire Life Webinar

November 6, 2013

Educación

  • M.I.R., University of Toronto, 1981
  • LL.B., Queen’s University, 1980
  • B.Comm., Queen’s University, 1976Honours

Admisión de la barra

Ontario, Canada

Cortes

  • Ontario Court of Appeal
  • Ontario Divisional Court
  • Ontario Superior Court
  • Federal Court of Canada
  • Federal Court of Appeal