clausework for employers
®
inclusive workplace design,
training & investigations
I’m an employment lawyer who helps employers build workplaces that are fair, inclusive, and built to last.
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Practical advice, clear guidance, and a genuine equity lens—without the jargon or judgment.
HOW I CAN HELP
Let's make your workplace better
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Not just compliant, but equitable, safe, and built for people to thrive.
workplaces that work
for everyone
INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE DESIGN
Policies, programs, and audits that create lasting change​​
From parental leave and domestic violence frameworks to gender-inclusive policies and pay-equity strategies, I help organizations design systems that remove barriers and foster belonging.
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I’m also licensed by the ILO to conduct Participatory Gender Audits alongside my collaborator, Josée Daris, an international equity practitioner with expertise in cross-cultural and Indigenous knowledges. Together, we combine legal insight with lived experience to create meaningful, lasting change.
TRAINING
Interactive learning that moves people, not just checkboxes
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I go beyond boilerplate compliance to deliver training that resonates. Sessions are interactive, trauma and violence-informed, and grounded in adult learning principles—building real understanding of bias, privilege, and psychological safety.
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Respectful dialogue is encouraged, and every participant leaves with tools to recognize harm and respond with confidence. Training is available in person or online.
INVESTIGATIONS
Trauma and violence-informed. Neutral. Equity-literate.
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I conduct impartial, legally sound investigations informed by a deep understanding of how trauma, violence, identity, and systemic bias can shape behaviour and reporting.
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The goal is simple: findings that are balanced, credible, and actionable—so workplaces can move forward with clarity, care, and confidence.
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MEET YOUR LEGAL PARTNER
Hi, I'm Rika Sawatsky (she/her), an employment lawyer, gender equity consultant, and founder of Clausework.
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After a decade at a global law firm and Ontario’s Ministry of Labour—right where workplace laws are made—I started this practice to do law differently: clear, practical, and equity-informed.
My work blends legal depth with lived experience. As a biracial Japanese-Canadian feminist, I bring an intersectional lens and a trauma-informed approach to every file. My goal is to help employers turn good intentions into meaningful action—one policy, one training, and one conversation at a time.
