About

Rika Sawatsky

Workplace harm expertise, backed by employment law.

Let's get real

Some people hear me talk about domestic violence, power, and workplace norms and think that sounds "too activist". I don’t. I think it’s practical.

Workplace problems don’t stay "polite". And polite solutions don’t fix hard workplace problems. Like workplaces where everything’s done right on paper, but every issue turns into a fight. Where social power runs counter to formal power. Where life outside work shows up at work.

These aren’t overnight fixes. But when they shift, they make a real difference in how people work together.

I’m Rika Sawatsky (she/her). I’m an employment lawyer with a special focus on workplace harm, and I created Clausework to fix the fine print of workplace culture.

Rika is an incredibly smart and adaptive lawyer that excels in working with her clients to find creative solutions by using analytical approaches. Personally, it was a pleasure to work with Rika and I could not recommend her more highly!

BRANDON PARLETTE,

Senior counsel, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

Although we were on Zoom, the energy in the rooms was palpable. Your energy and facilitation style is so engaging. Your approach with the case studies was very effective in helping participants to think through and understand the more insidious forms of SH. I agree that this is an important - and much needed - area for workplaces to understand in more depth. I thought about this as key to prevention.

Research Partner

,

Higher Education

Mennonite New Life Centre's Staff and Clients learned much from the teachings and guidance offered and would recommend to anyone. Rika is friendly and knowledgeable. Really knows her business.

Dwayne O'Connor

,

Executive Director

Rika Sawatsky is smart and comes with impressive experience. At the same time, she is very respectful of the expertise of others. Rika is a natural collaborator and working with her helped me to see my own work from new perspectives. It’s the best kind of work experience.

Director

,

Research Centre

Rika learned and applied the complex industrial terms and working procedures of our North American company incredibly quickly, all the while managing tight litigation timelines and multiple points of contact within our organization. Her personable nature and ability to explain legal concepts in plain language made her a joy to work with.

Labour Relations Manager

,

Rail Industry

Rika is an excellent lawyer. She learns the complicated details of a case and finds creative solutions by building rapport with allied and opposing parties to come to a positive resolution for her clients.

Igor Gimelshtein

,

CEO, Echelon Wellness

Rika is an excellent lawyer who pays attention to detail, has terrific writing skills, and is a wonderful person to work with. I highly recommend her for labour and employment matters.

John Stout

,

Mediator/Arbitrator

I had the pleasure of working closely with Rika during her time with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, where she drafted legislation, and provided oral and written advice to clients and senior officials. Rika is an incredibly smart and adaptive lawyer that excels in working with her clients to find creative solutions by using analytical approaches. Personally, it was a pleasure to work with Rika and I could not recommend her more highly!

Brandon Parlette

,

Senior Counsel, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development

Rika provided our public sector organization with expert representation on a number of complex legal matters, which led to highly successful outcomes. She provides intelligent insightful counsel and she has an unparalleled work ethic. Rika is able to pull on her wealth of knowledge and legal expertise while quickly comprehending the nuances of issues that are essential to problem solving. Rika is results driven and articulate in communications. From a client perspective, Rika is highly responsive and she demonstrates true caring.

John Hodgkinson

,

Senior Manager, Employee & Labour Relations

Rika is a pleasure to work with! Her high level of organization and prompt communication is impressive, and her kindness proves she truly cares for her clients. I now feel confident about my client contract! Highly recommend!

Sara Froese

,

Founder, All Sorts Press

no shame. no gotchas. just real work.

A lot of employers want to do better, but they’re worried about saying the wrong thing. Or they’ve been burned before. I get that.

I work from a place of empathy and stay clear about what needs to happen next. You don’t need perfect language to work with me. You just need a willingness to look at what’s really happening.

I’ll meet you where you are. I’ll ask clear questions. You can push back and ask your own. We’ll stay practical and focus on what will actually change the day to day.

where I bring distinctive insight

My deepest work is where harm keeps repeating because the real drivers haven’t been named yet.

Gender-based harm

Gender-based harm (discrimination, harassment, violence) is rarely “just one incident.” If you only address surface behaviour, the pattern tends to persist. I help employers see what’s underneath it, then build practical steps that reduce harm and shift norms.

Domestic violence

Domestic violence is happening in every workplace. I help employers build trauma- and violence-informed domestic violence programs with clear steps, clear roles, and real safety options.

Workplace audits

Audits help you out of chronic conflict and low trust. Where “everything is a 10.” My audits are participatory by design because people are more likely to trust and use systems they helped shape.

a bit more about me

I am a biracial Japanese Canadian and grew up in Japan before moving to Canada. Moving between cultures and languages taught me how to read what’s unsaid. That shows up in my work every day.

I first got pulled into the domestic violence space in a law school seminar. It changed how I understood harm. It also shaped how I think about work. People don’t leave their lives at the door. If we want lasting change at work, we have to understand barriers, identity, and power, not just write better policies.

I live in Toronto with my husband and my three-year-old son. When I’m not working, I’m usually chasing my kid around or testing old Mennonite recipes from my dad’s side of the family.

social & environmental
responsibility

  • I donate 1% of gross revenue to environmental partners through 1% for the Planet and track climate commitments through the SME Climate Hub.
  • I provide ongoing pro bono employment law education to newcomer communities through monthly information sessions with the Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto.
  • I serve on the Board of Directors of Neighbourhood Information Post, a Toronto-based organization providing critical supports to low-income and unhoused community members, including a rent bank, trusteeship services, and income tax clinics. I currently sit on its Governance, Anti-Oppression & Accessibility, and Human Resources committees.
  • I provide ad hoc pro bono employment law support for various gender equity-advancing initiatives, including with the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto and METRAC.

professional
foundation

Before founding Clausework, I spent over a decade practising employment law in both private practice and the public sector, including at a global law firm and Ontario’s Ministry of Labour.

That experience continues to shape the practical, business-minded judgment I bring to my clients today. I remain closely engaged with developments in employment law and workplace governance and contribute to professional education, including through work connected to Western University.

Admission

Ontario Bar 2015

Education

Juris Doctor
University of Ottawa
2014

Hons. Bachelor of Arts & Science
McMaster University
2009

Memberships

Association for Women's Rights in Development

Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

National Association of Women & the Law

Society of Gender Professionals

Women's Legal Education & ActionFund - Toronto Chapter

Appointments & CERTIFICATES

Notary Public

Participatory Gender Audit Facilitator (ILO)

Hyogo Prefecture
Goodwill Envoy

Advanced Certificate in Workplace Investigations
Osgoode Hall, York University

Certificate in Gender-Based Violence Practice Skills
Western University

tell me what's happening at work