Daniel Pugen

Daniel Pugen is a partner and Chair of the Labour & Employment Group at Torkin Manes LLP in Toronto, Ontario. He advises and represents employers on a broad range of labour, employment and workplace matters, helping organizations address day-to-day human resources issues as well as complex workplace disputes.

Daniel’s Labour and Employment Law practice includes advising employers on union certification drives, unfair labour practice complaints, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration and proceedings before labour boards and administrative tribunals. He also counsels clients on all stages of the employment relationship, including hiring, workplace policies, employment agreements, employment standards compliance, attendance and disability management, workplace investigations, termination and severance obligations, restrictive covenants and departing employee matters.

Clients regularly turn to Daniel for practical and business-focused advice on workplace and human resources issues. He works closely with employers, executives and HR professionals to support operational decision-making while helping organizations manage legal and workplace risk. Daniel frequently assists clients with sensitive workplace accommodation matters, human rights compliance and training initiatives, including issues connected to remote work and return-to-office planning.

Daniel also advises employers on occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation matters, including regulatory compliance, Ministry of Labour investigations and orders, and health and safety prosecutions. In addition, he provides counsel on labour and employment considerations arising from corporate transactions, restructurings and organizational change.

His client base includes organizations in the private and public sectors across a variety of industries, including manufacturing, finance, energy, property management, insurance, technology, retail, social and community services, health care and developmental services. Daniel has appeared before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Canada Industrial Relations Board, grievance arbitrators, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, the Financial Services Tribunal, the Superior Court of Justice and the Divisional Court. He also serves as an adjudicator for a statutory administrative tribunal in the electricity sector.