Employee
Separation and Divorce
Resources (Ontario)
Employee
Family Law Assistance Programs
The Employer Family Assistance Program
The Employer Family Law Program provides support for both employees AND their spouses, facing separation and divorce.
The Separation & Divorce Process in Ontario
STEP ONE: Employer - Call Client Care Center
Your Employer is committed to managing the impact of Separation and Divorce on Employees and their Families.
CLIENT CARE Services are a free, confidential telephone service available to Employees and their Spouses.
STEP TWO: The Discovery Session
CREATING A GO FORWARD PLAN
In order to minimize acrimony, unnecessary expenses and deescalate legal processes, it is important for couples to access the same information and create a clear Plan, whether together or individually.
THE DISCOVERY SESSION is available to Employees and their Spouses, by appointment only.
Whether you are are only considering divorce or whether a separation has been initiated, the Discovery Session will help all parties understand their rights, responsibilities and obligations.
The Triage Discovery Session is conducted by video Conference and requires approx. 1.5 to 2 hours. It may be utilized as a joint session (with individual review time) or as a individual session.
STEP THREE: Choose Your LEGAL Process
Separating means that you will need to deal with a lot of family issues. You and your partner will need to negotiate a proper Separation Agreement that is not only legal, but also binding and enforceable. The Family Law Services make a number of legal processes available to you.
During your Discovery Session you all of your legal process options will be explained to you and your spouse. The first thing you will want to decide is which process you will use to formally finalize all of your families matters.
STEP FOUR: Financial Disclosure
Ontario Family Law requires that both parties prepare and disclose all of their financial assets. This process is known as full financial disclosure.
Financial disclosure is the legal process where both you and your spouse literally provide not only the balances but also copies of all documentation and statements regarding all bank accounts, savings, cash on hand, investments, pensions, and any other possessions – as well as revealing any money owed, debts and liabilities.
During the process. a professionals will review all of your financial disclosure documents and will confirm bank balances, account statements, property values, verify RRSPs, and/or gather any necessary information on the value of a privately owned business.
A formal pension valuation (which is different from a pension statement) is required. This means there will be no mistakes; no misunderstandings; no secrets; and both spouses are protected. After you and your spouse finally reach an agreement and before you sign any documents, your financial disclosure should be reviewed by a lawyer to ensure that you are satisfied with your knowledge of the family finances.
