Overview

An acknowledged resource on Canadian employment law, Barry Kuretzky brings creative solutions to business-critical decisions. His distinctive legal knowledge and clarifying common sense guide clients across the employment spectrum, from hiring to termination.

During a career spanning four decades, Barry has gained particular experience counseling clients in the labour relations area, which includes collective bargaining, union organizing drives, certification and decertification of unions, grievances and arbitrations.

Additionally, Barry advises marquee companies across Canada who face a myriad workplace challenges, including:

  • Wrongful dismissal litigation
  • Unjust dismissals pursuant to the Canada Labour Code
  • Employment standards adjudications
  • Human rights, including disability and accommodation matters
  • Sexual harassment
  • Breach of fiduciary duty
  • Workers' compensation
  • On-the-job health and safety
  • Injunctions restraining competition and information distribution
  • Wrongful hiring
  • Negligent misrepresentation in the employment context
  • Employment issues related to the sale or restructuring of businesses
  • Negotiation and drafting of employment contracts and workplace policies.

Sought-after for his knowledge of workplace law, Barry wrote two industry-related books: Mediating Employment Law Disputes and Human Resources Guide to Workplace Harassment. He has been quoted significantly in the press on Canadian labour and employment issues, and has been consistently recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as one of the country’s top lawyers.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member

Canadian Bar Association

Recognition

Named, The Best Lawyers in Canada©

2006-2025

Recipient, Continuing Legal Education Long-Term Achievement Award

Law Society of Upper Canada

Named, Leading Practitioners

Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory

1997-2024 (27 consecutive years)

News, Analysis & Press

Treasury Board promises retroactive payments with pay equity plans

Human Resources Director Canada

August 21, 2024

Court upholds refusal to impose constructive trust in appeals case

Human Resources Director Canada

October 4, 2023

Canada adds exemptions from hours of work requirements for certain employees

Human Resources Director Canada

September 14, 2023

Arbitrator says employer can terminate employee who refused vaccine

Human Resources Director Canada

July 5, 2022

Key trends in arbitration awards pertaining to mandatory vaccines

Human Resources Director Canada

April 27, 2022

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

Human Resources Director Canada

March 18, 2022

Ontario plans to lift capacity limits and proof of vaccination requirements

Human Resources Director Canada

February 16, 2022

Update on key legislative developments

Canadian HR Reporter

February 7, 2022

How to handle the end of temporary layoffs

Canadian HR Reporter

January 23, 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

With-cause dismissal of long-term fiduciary employee justified

Human Resources Director Canada

October 12, 2021

Court overturns decision on Workplace Safety and Insurance Act

Human Resources Director Canada

September 29, 2021

Ontario issues guidance on proof of vaccination status for organizations

Human Resources Director Canada

September 24, 2021

Canada's Federal Pay Equity Act Takes Effect on August 31, 2021

Human Resources Director Canada

August 6, 2021

Hearing upholds compulsory COVID testing policy

Human Resources Director Canada

July 21, 2021

Liability for Severance Pay Depends on Company Payroll Size

Human Resources Director Canada

July 9, 2021

Court Finds Worker 'Repudiated' Role When She Walked Out

Human Resources Director Canada

May 20, 2021

14 Key Developments in 2020

Canadian HR Reporter

March 9, 2021

New 'false light' privacy tort and how it might impact employers

Canadian Employment Law Today

September 22, 2020

A patchwork of family status accommodation, continued

Canadian Employment Law Today

March 25, 2020

A patchwork of family status accommodation requirements

Canadian Employment Law Today

March 11, 2020

Canadian Employers and the Coronavirus

Insight

February 19, 2020

Employment: North America - Canada (Ontario)

Littler Report

August 29, 2019

Speaker’s Corner: Employee or independent contractor?

Law Times

March 8, 2010

Imposing Fiduciary Duties on Departing Executives

The Canadian Institute’s Advanced Forum on Managing Legal Risks in Employing Executives

June 16 and 17, 2008

The Impact of Privacy Rights on the Workplace

Ontario Bar Association, 7th Annual Current Issues in Employment Law, 2008

March 6, 2008

Privacy in the Workplace

The Law Society of Upper Canada, Special Lectures, 2007 – Employment Law: From Resume to Pink Slip

April 23 and 24, 2007

Books & Book Chapters

  • Mediating Employment Law Disputes, (second edition) co-author, 2013
  • Human Resources Guide to Workplace Harassment, co-author, 2003

Speaking Engagements

The Coronavirus: What Should Employers Be Doing Now

Toronto, ON

February 6, 2020

2019 Canada Conference

Toronto, ON

November 21, 2019

When the Smoke Clears: Preparing the Workplace for the Legalization of Cannabis in North America

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 8, 2019

Transgender Rights in the Workplace: An International Perspective

Littler Executive Employer Conference, Phoenix, AZ

May 8, 2019

Transgender Rights in the Workplace

2018 Canada Conference, Toronto

November 16, 2018

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

Toronto, ON

February 20, 2018

Second Annual Canada Conference

Toronto, ON

November 1, 2017

Inaugural Canada Conference

Toronto, ON

November 21, 2016

New England’s Neighbor to the North: What Makes Canadian Employment Law Uniquely Canadian?

2016 New England Employer Conference, Burlington, MA

October 13, 2016

Inaugural Brazil Conference - São Paulo

September 14, 2016

Canadian v. U.S. Employment Law: Six Minutes at a Time

The 2016 Executive Employer Conference

May 5, 2016

Conducting Lawful Investigations: An Interactive Program for Internal Investigators

Toronto, ON

November 24, 2015

Developing a Workplace Violence Policy

Federated Press Publications Inc. 8th Annual Preventing Violence & Harassment in the Workplace

October 7-8, 2015

Legal Risk Course

Federated Press Publications Inc. 9th Annual HR Conference

September 24, 2015

Workplace Accommodation

Federated Press Publications Inc. 3rd Annual Disability Claims Management Conference

September 18, 2015

Ageism in Termination

5th Edition Workplace Discipline & Terminations Conference

June 9, 2015

Navigating the Employment Standards Act

Osgoode Professional Development

March 3, 2015

Employment Law/Nonprofit and Charities

Charity Law Seminar

March 2, 2015

Workplace Accommodations

Federated Press Publications Inc. 2nd Disability Claims Management Course

September 19, 2014

Disability

Federated Press Publications Inc. Conference

September 18, 2014

Co-Lecturer

Federated Press Publications Inc. 8th Annual HR Legal Risks Conference

September 12, 2014

Navigating the Employment Standards Act

Osgoode Professional Development

April 9, 2014

Litigating Claims in the Municipal Workplace

The Commons Institute

February 26, 2014

Mediating Terminations, Opening Remarks and Workshop

3rd Discipline and Employment Termination Course

February 14, 2014

Examining Recent Landmark Cases Under A Microscope

8th Edition Disability Management in the Workplace Conference

January 30, 2014

Unusual Cases in Law of Accommodation

Federated Press Publications Inc. 8th Annual Employer’s Duty to Accommodate Course

December 13, 2013

Workplace Accommodation

Federated Press Publications Inc. Disability Claims Management Course

September 27, 2013

Latest Legal Developments Impacting HR Practices: Emerging of Noncompliance

6th HR Legal Risks Course, Co-chair, welcome and opening remarks

September 10, 2013

Navigating the Employment Standards Act

Osgoode Professional Development

July 8, 2013

Education

  • LL.B., Queen’s University, 1978
  • B.A., University of Toronto, 1973

Bar Admission

Ontario, Canada

Courts

  • Court of Appeal for Ontario
  • Ontario Superior Court