Johnson v Country Hills Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Ltd, 2026 ABKB 629, concerned two finance and insurance managers who had spent many years working at a vehicle dealership. Their compensation depended on commission, and their working arrangements had developed over time. In March 2018, the dealership introduced a new memorandum that changed both the commission structure and the work schedule. The changes mattered because they were not minor administrative adjustments. The evidence accepted by the Court showed that the required schedule increased from an average of about 38 hours each week to about 50 hours, with some rotations reaching roughly 57 hours. The Court also found that the revised commission arrangement materially changed how the managers would be paid. Management presented the new terms as mandatory rather than as a proposal for discussion. That combination supported a finding of constructive dismissal. An employer can end the employment relationship without using the words "you are fired" when it unilaterally makes a substantial change to an essential term of employment. Here, hours and compensation were both central parts of the bargain.
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