Canadian telecommunications giant BCE, the parent company of Bell, has terminated several employees for breaching workplace attendance and remote working policies. However, CBC News has uncovered allegations that these terminations were unfounded and aimed at avoiding severance payments.
According to an internal email seen by CBC News, Bell’s chief human resources officer, Nikki Moffat, stated that dismissed employees were allegedly misrepresenting their presence in the workplace. In response, the terminated workers, along with lawyer Jean-Alexandre De Bousquet representing over 30 individuals, have refuted these claims.
De Bousquet mentioned that most of the fired employees, who had never physically worked at the office even before the pandemic, disputed Bell’s accusations. While Bell refuted the claim of hundreds of terminations, stating the number is inaccurate and only a “small number” were let go, De Bousquet asserted that there could be potentially hundreds of affected workers.
The company’s policy required corporate office staff to be present at the office for a minimum of two days a week since 2022 and three days since 2023. However, De Bousquet and his clients contested this policy change, claiming that they were never obligated to work from the office before and had received approval from their managers for their working arrangements.
De Bousquet highlighted that many terminated employees were not issued warnings or suspensions before their dismissal. He suggested that Bell terminated them under the pretext of misconduct to avoid paying severance, a move that could save the company significant costs compared to laying off staff.
Bell defended its actions, stating that the terminations were based on clear violations of the company’s code of conduct. Bell’s spokesperson, Luc Levasseur, emphasized that thorough investigations were conducted, and evidence of misconduct was presented to the individuals before their dismissal.
The terminations occurred following Bell’s reduction of 650 management positions and 40 news division jobs in late 2025 as part of cost-saving measures. Despite a four percent increase in operating revenue, Bell’s profits declined, with growth primarily driven by the company’s AI services while traditional services like phone and TV experienced declines.
As white-collar workers nationwide return to the office post-pandemic, Bell’s strict enforcement of attendance policies coincides with this trend. The disputes over remote work policies have become a prevalent issue, with employers having the authority to determine employees’ work locations unless specified otherwise in their contracts or accommodations are required.
Toronto-based employment lawyer Sundeep Gokhale noted that terminating employees for just cause, leading to immediate dismissal without severance, is a stringent requirement to meet. Serious offenses like theft, fraud, or record falsification are typically considered just cause for termination. Gokhale emphasized that the outcome of the Bell situation would hinge on the evidence in each individual employee’s case.