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Pa ge 3 8 T hu rs da y, D ec em be r 1 8, 2 01 4 - T he IF P - H al to n H ill s - w w w .th ei fp .c a Find local professionals here every Thursday! For advertising information please call 905-873-0301 Professionals Ask the JEFFREY A. PATTERSON Barrister & Solicitor I have been an employee for over twenty years and was recently given a letter of termination from my boss. The letter says that I will get eight weeks of notice and should meet with a lawyer for advice, what should I do? Generally speaking, unless an employer has "cause" for termination, it must provide you, the employee, with notice of termination or payment in lieu of notice. Your former employer is required, by law, to give you notice that is consistent with (1) the Employment Standard Act, 2000 (the "ESA"), (2) your employment contract, and/or (3) the common law. While the ESA always applies to a "without cause" termination, common law notice may be limited by an express term in the contract of employment. The ESA provides a breakdown of the notice an employee receives based on their length of service, with a maximum notice period of 8 weeks regardless of service. However, employees with at least 5 years of service with their employer may also be entitled to severance under the ESA which is capped at 26 weeks of service. If you have an employment contract, that may also determine what you are entitled to. However, if you do not have an employment contract or it is invalid, you may be entitled to common law reasonable notice. The amount of common law reasonable notice can be significantly higher than your ESA entitlements - sometimes going as high as 24 months of notice - and will vary depending on your age, years of service, and character of employment. Given that you have only been offered the statutory minimum amount of notice, I would strongly recommend that you receive advice from a lawyer on what your legal entitlements are in the circumstances. A: Q: jp@howittlaw.com Tel: 905-877-5139 Fax: 905-877-1155 83 Mill Street, Suite 301 Georgetown, Ontario L7G 5E9 www.howittlaw.com 905-567-8858 1-866-506-PCCS (7227) reduCe CoSt & ConfliCt diVorCe WitH diGnitY And KeeP Your moneY in Your PoCKet! ACCredited mediAtorS GeorGetoWn, brAmPton, bolton, miSSiSSAuGA, orAnGeVille flexible HourSwww.pccs.ca Separation & Divorce mediation We all know that we must keep all walkways and steps clear of snow and ice. An adequate supply of shovels and ice melter should also be handy. Don't forget the following: • Watch out for ice. If you must walk on ice, slow down and take tiny steps or shuffle. Consider using a cane or walker for better balance. • Wear sunglasses to help reduce the glare so prevalent in the snowy/icy winter months. • Carry as little as possible. Carry parcels by your side in bags with handles so you can see ahead of you. This will also allow one hand to be free. (When possible, take advantage of home deliveries.) •Wear lightweight, waterproof winter boots that provide warmth, traction and have a low wide heel. Avoid smooth leather soles or high heels.You might also try ice grippers that can be removed easily. • If sidewalks are impassible, forcing you to walk on the street, walk facing the traffic. • Wear something bright or reflective to enable motorists to see you better. •When walking avoid twisting or reaching.You need to keep your center of gravity over your feet. • Always remember to take your time! Do you have any winter walking tips? Christoph Summer Owner/Administrator 222 Mountainview Rd. N. Georgetown, ON L7G 3R2 Bus: 905-877-1800 Fax: 905-873-9083 www.mountainviewresidence.com Mountainview Residence & Terrace owned and operated by the Summer family Campaign needs final kickstart With construction well underway on the addi- tion of a second ice pad at the Acton Arena, a renewed effort has been initiated to complete the $2.2-million financial commitment made by community groups to build three new are- nas in Halton Hills. Fifteen months after the deadline to reach that goal has passed, the Halton Hills Arena Users Group remains $267,500 short of the Stay Home and Play Campaign target, but is determined to cover the shortfall. When the two additional ice pads at the Mold-Masters SportsPlex in Georgetown were completed in September 2013, campaign or- ganizers scaled back their fundraising pitch somewhat after years of knocking on doors in the community, in large part in deference to the Georgetown Hospital Foundation's own $6.75-million Healthcare Close to Home Cam- paign, which was completed last month. "We're going to get aggressive again going into the new year," said HHAUG co-chair Steve Highfield. "Out of respect for the hospital's campaign, we held back a little bit. The community's only got so much to give and we're so close to the goal that we're hopeful some corporate spon- sors will help give us the final push." The total cost of construction for the three new rinks is $29.2 million, with $24.8 mil- lion coming from the Town of Halton Hills, $2.4 million in arena surcharges that include a $25-an-hour add-on fee over the next de- cade for arena rentals, and $2.2 million from HHAUG, which represents 18 local-area sports organizations. An NHL-sized ice pad will be added to the Acton Arena, along with six new dressing rooms, two referee rooms, additional seating at a projected cost of $10.3 million. The twin- ning of the Acton Arena is estimated to be fin- ished in October. As for how the remaining amount will be generated, Highfield said that there are spon- sorship opportunities within the arenas, in- cluding the Name-a-Seat program and nam- ing rights various parts of the buildings such as foyers and dressing rooms. As well, the fourth-annual Coaches' Cup is slated for Friday, Jan. 9 and while proceeds from that event are earmarked for Cancer As- sistance Services Halton Hills, residents will be able to purchase bricks from the now-demol- ished Memorial Arena with an official stamp 1927-2012 at a nominal cost to support the Stay Home and Play Campaign. For more info call 416-433-1345 or email steve_highfield@palcanada.ca By Eamonn Maher emaher@theifp.ca Neil Darragh (second from right) accepts a plaque of appreciation from (left) Halton Hills Arena Us- ers' Group co-chair Steve Highfield and Stay at Home and Play Campaign co-chairs Bob Hooper and Finn Poulstrup recently. Darragh and Highfield came up with an idea five years ago to host an annual fundraising golf tournament for the local arena users' group and it has raised approximately $25,000 since then, with Darragh organizing the first two events held at the Carlisle Golf & Country Club in Hamilton and the last two at Hornby's Royal Ontario course for a modest fee of $120, which were all sold out and supported by many of the various user groups in town. Photo by Eamonn Maher With eight wins in their last 10 games, the Georgetown Raiders have two tough road tests this weekend before heading into the Ontario Junior Hockey League's holiday break. The 21-4-3-4 Raiders, who hosted the Pick- ering Panthers Wednesday night, visit the Oakville Blades Friday at 7:30 p.m. and then take on the defending OJHL-champion To- ronto Patriots at Westwood Arenas Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Anthony Marra and Brendan Jacome had two goals apiece in the Raiders' 5-3 win over the Burlington Cougars last Saturday. Captain Steve Hladin added a goal and two assists to his OJHL-leading points total and Jack LaFontaine earned the win in goal. Work for Raiders before holiday