Royal Standard Landscaping

Fired me in my third week for asking about my rights under the Employment Standards Act. They don't allow their workers to take eating breaks, told us eating and smoking where clients could see us was a 'disruptive behaviour' as though the two are comparable (I'm a nonsmoker). RSL proudly flouts the ESA, lied and claimed I'm not entitled to a break as an 'agricultural worker'. The ministry hotline immediately debunked this claim and elucidated my rights to me. I will be reporting them. I didn't even demand my breaks, all I asked for was that they not make statements like 'eating is disruptive' which placed negative stigma on even the limited eating, I was able todo (and I also asked that they pay me on time, which was another issue, but not a dealbreaker. I'm training for a race, the food stuff absolutely is. The owner Peter Saros is an American living himself into an early grave, demanding his employees follow, and who somehow thinks you can treat workers born in Canada this poorly. He is in for a rude awakening. He seemed unconcerned to learn firing a worker for asking about the ESA is considered a reprisal. Beware, this shady operation survives because of the patronage of the Great and the Good of Rosedale, Moore Park etc. and will eventually bring disrepute on its elite clientele when the extent of exploitative and illegal business practices becomes known.

Sep 2013

Very professional team.