Partner
Cell: 416.540.4485
24 Hour: 416.420.0738
Queen’s University, Juris Doctor
Simon Fraser University, Bachelor of Science
Giovanna Di Sauro
Partner
Named One to Watch by Best Lawyers®, Giovanna advises clients in all areas of employment and labour law. She provides strategic and practical advice to both unionized and non-unionized employers. She is bilingual – English/Italian.
Giovanna routinely drafts and reviews employment contracts and policies, assists clients in responding to and managing discrimination claims and complex accommodation, and advises clients in their handling of workplace harassment complaints and investigations. She also assists unionized clients with the negotiation and administration of collective agreements.
Giovanna has appeared before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, Ontario Labour Relations Board, Ontario Superior Court of Justice (including Divisional Court) and Court of Appeal for Ontario. She has also successfully opposed a leave to appeal application to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Giovanna is actively involved in the legal community and regularly speaks at, moderates, or chairs seminars and workshops with a focus on human rights, employment law, and related issues.
Areas of Focus:
- Administrative Law
- Advising Multinational and Multi-Jurisdictional Employers
- Attendance Management
- Civil Litigation
- Collective Agreement Administration
- Collective Bargaining
- Employee Relations
- Employment Contracts (including Independent Contractor Agreements)
- Employment Screening and Hiring
- Employment Standards
- Employment and Labour Issues in Corporate Restructuring and Transactions
- Executive Employment Agreements and Compensation
- Grievance Arbitration
- Human Rights and Accommodation
- Injunctive Court Proceedings and Judicial Review
- Labour Relations and Industrial Relations Board Proceedings
- Management Training
- Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Outsourcing
- Pay Equity
- Pensions and Benefits
- Policy Development and Implementation
- Sale or Closure
- Workplace Investigations
- Wrongful and Constructive Dismissal Litigation
Publications & Media
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Infectious Diseases and Vaccination in the Workplace
December 22, 2025
LexisNexis
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Bill 149 presents further challenges for employers around hiring, compensation
December 7, 2023
Canadian HR Reporter
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Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains: An update for Employers
September 21, 2023
Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers
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What’s in a Pronoun? Two human rights tribunals find that misgendering in the workplace amounts to discrimination in employment
November 14, 2021
Ontario Bar Association
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Disciplinary Issues in the Time of COVID-19
February 23, 2021
Canadian HR Reporter
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Staving Off Duplicative And Statute-Barred Proceedings: Guidance From The HRTO And WSIAT
November 2019
Mondaq
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Dismissal following lengthy unauthorized absence not discriminatory
August 30, 2019
Canadian Employment Law Today
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Ontario Pay Transparency Update
March 28, 2019
Mondaq
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Ontario Human Rights Code: Quick Reference – 2021 Edition
January 01, 2019
Carswell
Speaking Engagements
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Critical Issues in the Hiring Process
March 24, 2026
Instructor, The Osgoode Certificate in HR Law
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Managing the Hearing Room: Setting the Stage, Interactions with Counsel, Witnesses, the Public and Staff
September 04, 2025
Chair,
Foundations in Adjudicative Tribunal Competencies, Ontario Bar Association -
Critical Issues in the Hiring Process
March 20, 2025
Instructor, The Osgoode Certificate in HR Law
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Managing the Hearing Room: Setting the Stage, Interactions with Counsel, Witnesses, the Public and Staff”Foundations in Adjudicative Tribunal Competencies
March 09, 2025
Foundations in Adjudicative Tribunal Competencies,
Ontario Bar Association -
Hot Topics in Human Rights Panel
September 22, 2023
20th Annual Conference of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers
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The Eight-Minute Labour Lawyer 2023
June 22, 2023
Law Society of Ontario
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Case law update: Treatment of trans, two-spirit, and non-binary adults and youth
June 13, 2023
Co-Chair,
The Canadian Bar Association -
Addressing Systemic Wage Discrimination in the Workplace
May 25, 2022
Moderator,
Annual Update on Human Rights Law, Ontario Bar Association -
Managing the Hearing Room: Setting the Stage, Interactions with Counsel, Witnesses, the Public and Staff”
May 11, 2022
Foundations in Adjudicative Tribunal Competencies, Ontario Bar Association
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HR Roundtable
May 05, 2022
Ontario Mutual Insurance Association
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Managing the Hearing Room: Setting the Stage, Interactions with Counsel, Witnesses, the Public and Staff”
July 21, 2021
Foundations in Adjudicative Tribunal Competencies, Ontario Bar Association
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Building New Competencies
May 26, 2021
Moderator,
Annual Update on Human Rights, Ontario Bar Association -
COVID and Temporary Layoffs, Reductions in Hours
October 15, 2020
Panelist,
21st Employment Law Summit, Law Society of Ontario -
Tribunals Ontario on What the Future Holds: A Virtual Discussion
July 15, 2020
Co-Chair,
Ontario Bar Association -
Exploring Protected Grounds
May 20, 2020
Moderator,
Annual Update on Human Riqhts, Ontario Bar Association -
Lunch & Law: Employment Law
January 22, 2020
Presenter, TMU’s Legal Innovation Zone
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At the Outset: Contractual Clauses
October 29, 2019
Ending the Employment Relationship, Ontario Bar Association
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Workplace Accommodation: Navigating Evolving Legal Considerations
October 22, 2019
Panelist, 30th Schedule 2 Employers’ Group Conference
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Annual Update on Human Rights Conference
May 29, 2019
Co-Chair,
Ontario Bar Association -
Human Rights Update
May 13, 2019
Panelist, Human Resources Law for Education Professionals, Osgoode PD
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Employment Law for Startups & Entrepreneurs
March 26, 2018
Presenter, TMU’s Legal Innovation Zone