What happens after I submit an Intake with the Halifax WAC?

Thank you for submitting an intake form to the Halifax Workers’ Action Centre!

This page goes over what you can expect from your meeting/intake with a member of the Halifax WAC Legal Servicing Team. Including what services we can offer & what we can help you with as well as how long you can expect to wait to meet with someone.

What Can the Halifax WAC Help With?

We provide pro-bono employment law services to non-unionized workers who earn less than $85,000/year. We may be able to assist with issues including:

  • Unpaid wages and other Employment Standards issues

  • Workplace health and safety concerns

  • Human rights issues arising from employment

  • Wrongful dismissal and other employment-related legal matters

  • Other workplace legal issues that fall within our expertise

When Will I Hear From You?

We aim to contact people within one week of receiving an intake form. During busy periods, it may take a little longer, but we'll reach out as soon as we're able.

During the summer (May - August) we operate at a reduced capacity, and wait times may reach up to 3-4 weeks. If this is the case, we will email intakes to inform them of these wait times and begin to triage issues by urgency.

If we need additional information or documents before your appointment, we'll let you know. Waiting for additional documents may increase your wait time.

What Happens During an Intake Appointment?

Your intake appointment is an opportunity for us to learn about your workplace issue and determine how we may be able to help. Intake appointments generally last 45 minutes. The first 20-30 minutes is an opportunity for you to tell the story of what happened.

During the appointment, we'll:

  • Ask questions to better understand what happened.

  • Review any important documents you've provided.

  • Explain your legal rights and options.

  • Discuss your goals and what you're hoping to achieve.

  • Determine what services, if any, the Halifax WAC can provide.

Depending on your situation, during your intake interview we may provide:

  • Legal information about your rights at work

  • Summary legal advice

  • Review of workplace documents

  • Help preparing forms or other legal documents

  • Referrals to other organizations or legal services

After your intake interview, if we determine you are eligible for other services, we may provide:

  • Summary legal advice letters

  • Help preparing forms or other legal documents

  • Referrals to our organizing or case management program

  • Assistance with negotiations with your employer

  • Ongoing legal representation in select cases

Not every client will receive the same services. The assistance we provide depends on the nature of your legal issue, the merits of your case, your individual circumstances, and our available resources.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • No. Sometimes our staff lawyer determines that we cannot assist you, or you would better be helped by another organization or service, and we will contact you before setting up an intake to let you know.

    Some reasons you wouldn’t get an intake appointment:

    1. You are a member of a union

    2. You make more than $85,000/year, and don’t meet the income requirements for pro-bono legal aid

    3. Your issue is outside the scope of our practice (e.g., immigration issues, some human rights issues, inter-personal workplace issues, etc.)

  • If your legal issue falls outside our areas of practice, we'll do our best to connect you with another organization or service that may be able to assist.

  • No. An intake appointment is the first step in understanding your situation.

    In many cases, we'll provide legal information or summary legal advice during or shortly after your intake. Some matters may be referred to another organization, while others may be considered for additional services or legal representation.

    If we determine that we're able to provide ongoing representation, we'll discuss that process with you separately.

  • Before your appointment, it's helpful to:

    • Gather and organize any relevant documents, such as employment contracts, termination letters, pay records, emails, or text messages.

    • Make a list of important dates and events.

    • Think about what outcome you're hoping to achieve.

    Having this information ready helps us understand your situation more quickly.

Questions?

If your contact information changes after submitting your intake, please let us know as soon as possible at info@halifaxwac.ca so we can reach you.

We look forward to speaking with you and helping you understand your workplace rights and options.