I know this is an extremely weird question to ask, but I've tried googling everything and I can't pull up nothing. I've posted and browsed around other forums but so far, nothing. I know you guys are pretty resourceful so I'm coming here. Do any of you know what your rights as a subcontract worker are? Or anywhere on the internet I can find a guide to it at all? (preferably in Canada)

The rights are usually in the contract no?

Some places up here don't sign contracts. For example, my girlfriend is a Massage Therapist and she had no contract she had to sign for her employment. I'm looking for more basic rights, human rights, etc. Anything you've found from experience, etc.

I would imagine she has the same basic employee's rights that we have here in the U.S.: the right to a safe workplace, to be paid minimum wage, to be free from discrimination or harassment, a few others. Nolo.com has information on these rights that looks sound enough, but since it's a U.S. site it may not be 100% applicable.

Was there something specific you were looking for?

I'm pretty sure if you didn't sign a contact, you're not a contractor. You're just.. working there. So if they break a promise, it was never on paper and signed and legally agreed upon, so you probably won't have anything.

I would probably insist on a contract, detailing all the rights and expectations.

Not really specific, there are too many things that go on at this locale to list out here, too many backstory's to go into, etc. I'll check the site out, thanks a lot.

nolo is awesome
too bad the books are too expensive

Just fyi legal contracts need not be on paper nor signed, although that makes it easier to enforce

Yep. If there's a specific term that she wants to enforce against the employer but that the employer only agreed to orally, she'll probably have a hard time proving it. But since she can probably prove that a contract existed (by showing that she worked for them and they paid her), they wouldn't be able to get away with withholding payment or failing to maintain a safe work environment, or breaching any of their other duties to their employees.

Edit: To avoid confusion, "contractor" is actually a separate legal category from employee, and describes someone who's being paid under a contract but has more autonomy and control over his work. It's probably not what we're talking about here.

Randal: So they build another Death Star, right?
Dante: Yeah.
Randal: Now the first one they built was completed and fully operational before the Rebels destroyed it.
Dante: Luke blew it up. Give credit where it's due.
Randal:And the second one was still being built when they blew it up.
Dante: Compliments of Lando Calrissian.
Randal: Something just never sat right with me the second time they destroyed it. I could never put my finger on it-something just wasn't right.
Dante: And you figured it out?
Randal: Well, the thing is, the first Death Star was manned by the Imperial army-storm troopers, dignitaries- the only people onboard were Imperials.
Dante: Basically.
Randal: So when they blew it up, no prob. Evil is punished.
Dante: And the second time around...?
Randal: The second time around, it wasn't even finished yet. They were still under construction.
Dante: So?
Randal: A construction job of that magnitude would require a helluva lot more manpower than the Imperial army had to offer. I'll bet there were independent contractors working on that thing: plumbers, aluminum siders, roofers.
Dante: Not just Imperials, is what you're getting at.
Randal: Exactly. In order to get it built quickly and quietly they'd hire anybody who could do the job. Do you think the average storm trooper knows how to install a toilet main? All they know is killing and white uniforms.
Dante: All right, so even if independent contractors are working on the Death Star, why are you uneasy with its destruction?
Randal: All those innocent contractors hired to do a job were killed- casualties of a war they had nothing to do with. (notices Dante's confusion) All right, look-you're a roofer, and some juicy government contract comes your way; you got the wife and kids and the two-story in suburbia-this is a government contract, which means all sorts of benefits. All of a sudden these left-wing militants blast you with lasers and wipe out everyone within a three-mile radius. You didn't ask for that. You have no personal politics. You're just trying to scrape out a living.
(The Blue-Collar Man (Thomas Burke) joins them.)
Blue-Collar Man: Excuse me. I don't mean to interrupt, but what were you talking about?
Randal: The ending of Return of the Jedi.
Dante: My friend is trying to convince me that any contractors working on the uncompleted Death Star were innocent victims when the space station was destroyed by the rebels.
Blue-Collar Man: Well, I'm a contractor myself. I'm a roofer... (digs into pocket and produces business card) Dunn and Reddy Home Improvements. And speaking as a roofer, I can say that a roofer's personal politics come heavily into play when choosing jobs.
Randal: Like when?
Blue-Collar Man: Three months ago I was offered a job up in the hills. A beautiful house with tons of property. It was a simple reshingling job, but I was told that if it was finished within a day, my price would be doubled. Then I realized whose house it was.
Dante: Whose house was it?
Blue-Collar Man: Dominick Bambino's.
Randal: "Babyface" Bambino? The gangster?
Blue-Collar Man: The same. The money was right, but the risk was too big. I knew who he was, and based on that, I passed the job on to a friend of mine.
Dante: Based on personal politics.
Blue-Collar Man: Right. And that week, the Foresci family put a hit on Babyface's house. My friend was shot and killed. He wasn't even finished shingling.
Randal: No way!
Blue-Collar Man: (paying for coffee) I'm alive because I knew there were risks involved taking on that particular client. My friend wasn't so lucky. (pauses to reflect) You know, any contractor willing to work on that Death Star knew the risks. If they were killed, it was their own fault. A roofer listens to this... (taps his heart) not his wallet.