Partner Ryan O’Connor Weighs In on Allegations of Unpaid Wages by Toronto Contractor

Ryan O’Connor, a partner and chair of the employment law team at Taylor Mergui Law Group, was recently featured in a Toronto Sun article addressing allegations that a private security firm contracted by the City of Toronto failed to pay its workers on time during the holiday season.

The article examined claims made by employees of One Community Solutions (OCS), a company that deploys Community Safety Teams to patrol shelters, parks, and other locations associated with homelessness. Workers allege that as many as three pay periods were missed in December and early January, despite the company having secured more than $40 million in contracts from the City of Toronto since 2020.

Following public reporting, some employees told the Sun they have begun receiving back pay. Internal messages shared with the newspaper indicate that outstanding payroll from December 19 was processed shortly after the article was published, with additional delayed payments promised by mid-January. Other wages were reportedly issued through physical cheques after Christmas as a temporary workaround.

Beyond late wages, multiple employees also alleged broader employment standards concerns, including unpaid overtime and a lack of paid sick days. This follows allegations made in 2020 that the company failed to provide pandemic pay to its employees.

In his comments to the Toronto Sun, Mr. O’Connor spoke generally about the legal implications of such practices under Ontario law.

He explained that late payment of wages, denial of overtime pay, and retaliation against employees who raise workplace concerns would all be illegal.

Mr. O’Connor further noted that, in limited circumstances, organizations that retain contractors may face legal exposure if they are aware of unlawful employment practices. “Theoretically, a company could be liable in certain circumstances for a contractor’s HR practices,” he stated, while emphasizing that responsibility for compliance with employment standards typically rests with a direct employer.

The City of Toronto and Simcoe County, both clients of OCS, have denied any payment-related issues on their end.

Taylor Mergui Law Group regularly assists employees who have missed paycheques, who have not been paid overtime, or whose employers have retaliated against them for asserting their workplace rights.

Feel free to contact us for a free consultation for these or any other workplace issues at 1 (888) 969-TMPI.