Can my boss fire me if I called in sick and lied about it?

The simple answer is yes. Courts have generally held across Canada that discharge is an appropriate penalty for employees making false medical claims and/or lying about being sick. The reason is that false claims are deemed to take advantage of the employer’s reliance on an employee’s good faith, and therefore courts and arbitrators generally take a strong stance and impose harsh penalties to deter other employees from doing the same. Having said this, termination for cause is considered a harsh penalty in employment law and therefore it is almost always worth a review with a qualified employment lawyer to determine how to respond if you ever find yourself in this situation. If you are seeking legal advice in relation to the termination of your employment, please contact Toronto employment lawyers, Sultan Lawyers at 416-214-5111 or via email to mlahert@sultanlawyers.com.