about rika sawatsky

Hi, I’m Rika Sawatsky (she/her), an employment lawyer, gender equity consultant, and founder of Clausework. I help employees and employers create workplaces that are fair, inclusive, and built to last.

My work combines legal expertise, lived experience, and an equity-informed lens to design policies, deliver training, and conduct investigations that solve real workplace challenges. Everything I do is grounded in practical solutions that foster belonging, accountability, and measurable change.

professional background

Before starting Clausework, I spent 10 years at a global law firm and at the Ontario Ministry of Labour, supporting clients across industries, contributing to legislation, managing arbitrations, and leading gender equity initiatives.

That experience taught me that the best workplace solutions are proactive, grounded in law, and centered on people — not just legal compliance. Now, I bring that perspective to every engagement, helping workplaces prevent harm, remove barriers, and thrive.

WHAT GUIDES MY WORK

Listening carefully, solving complex problems, and helping people move forward with confidence is at the heart of everything I do.

I integrate trauma-informed principles into investigations,

training, and policy design, recognizing that how workplaces respond to harm can either reinforce inequity or strengthen trust and accountability.

accessible expertise

Listening carefully, solving complex problems, and helping people move forward with confidence is at the heart of everything I do.

equity isn't optional

I take an intersectional, anti-oppressive approach to workplace issues. As a certified gender auditor, I help organizations identify systemic barriers, not just surface-level symptoms.

social & environmental responsibility
is non-negotiable

I donate 1% of gross revenue to environmental partners through 1% for the Planet, track my climate commitments through the SME Climate Hub, and provide pro bono legal support to workers earning below a living wage, and host monthly information sessions for newcomer clients at the Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto.

Rika Sawatsky smiling while sitting on a stool

a bit more about me

I’m a biracial Japanese-Canadian feminist and longtime Toronto resident. I was born in Japan and spent my childhood and early adulthood there, including a stint teaching English in the countryside.

Finding belonging as a mixed-race kid who moved a lot wasn’t always easy. Now as a parent, I'm building roots and perspective that

inform the empathy and care I bring to workplaces.

Outside of work, you’ll find me chasing my little boy, experimenting with short-lived hobbies, or decoding Mennonite recipes from my dad’s side—full of phrases like “a handful” or “until soft, not like bread.” It’s a work in progress.

why clausework?

I started Clausework to do law differently: to combine legal depth with lived experience and equity-informed insight. My goal is to help workplaces prevent harm, create inclusion, and design systems that truly work for people, not just check a compliance box.

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