Attention employers and job seekers! As a result of some incoming changes to the Employment Standards Act, job postings are about to look different!
Ontario’s Working For Workers Four Act received Royal Assent on March 21, 2024. And now, a brief interlude on Ontario’s law-making process in case you’ve forgotten: Royal Assent is the last step in the process that makes a Bill law.Continue Reading Attention Employers: Legal Changes Coming to Job Posting Requirements
Important update for all federal employers! Amendments to the Canada Labour Code are now in force as of February 1, 2024. Do you fall into this category? And if so, what does this mean for you?
Federal Employers
As we’ve discussed in a previous blog, the Canada Labour Code is a federal law which sets out minimum employment standards for sectors that fall under federal power. Continue Reading Update for Federal Employers: Canada Labour Code Amendments – Now in Force, as of February 1, 2024
Are employers required to accommodate an employee at Christmas?
If an employee requests December 25 off for “family time” or religious events, are those protected grounds under Canadian human rights law? This arises in industries that stay open 365 days a year, such as hospitals, public transit, variety stores, movie theatres and some restaurants.
For
On November 8, 2023, we wrote about the new pay transparency legislation in British Columbia that is now in effect and also noted that the Ontario government announced plans to introduce similar legislation. On November 14, 2023, the Ontario government did just that with Bill 149, Working for Workers Four Act, 2023.
Bill 149, among other things, would require employers who advertise a “publicly advertised job posting” to include “information about the expected compensation for the position or the range of expected compensation for the position.” Continue Reading Ontario Introduces Pay Transparency Bill as It Aims to Keep Pace with British Columbia and Prince Edward Island
On October 26, 2023, the Working for Workers Act, 2023(the “Act”), the Ontario government’s third iteration of this legislation aimed at protecting workers, received Royal Assent and came into force. The Act introduces amendments to several employment-related statutes, impacting employers across the province. Below are some of the most relevant amendments.
Mass Terminations Under the ESA:
One of the most notable changes introduced by the Act is the expansion of the definition of an employer’s “establishment” under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”). This expansion now includes the private residences of employees who work from home. As a result, employers must take these employees into account when assessing mass terminations. Mass terminations occur when 50 or more employees are terminated within the employer’s “establishment” in a four-week period.Continue Reading Ontario’s Working for Workers Act, 2023: Key Changes Affecting Employers
In Ontario, employers must abide by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to ensure the safety of their workplace and workers. One legal requirement under OHSA that we often get questions about is an employer’s obligations around Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSC). Here are some practical tips for employers to meet these obligations. Continue Reading Practical Tips on How Employers Can Meet Their Joint Health and Safety Committee Obligations
Accommodating employees with disabilities and medical issues is an integral part of creating an inclusive and equitable workplace. But what should an employer do if they receive a request for accommodation that does not provide enough information? How can we balance an employee’s right to privacy with an employer’s need for sufficient information to assess an accommodation request?Continue Reading Navigating Disability Accommodation Requests: Balancing Privacy and Information
In this current work climate, it’s all about work-life balance. Employees know what they want and if it’s not being offered at one job, they will search for it elsewhere. This has employers scrambling to offer higher salaries, greater benefits, hybrid or remote work options, or even four-day work weeks to keep up with the competitive job market. All these perks seem fine and dandy to attract employees but if you’re considering a shift to a four-day workweek, it’s important to know the legal implications this could impose.Continue Reading Thinking of Implementing a Four-Day Workweek? Be Mindful of the Potential Legal Implications
Canadian Employment Law for US Employers: Part 2 – Contracts
Continue Reading Canadian Employment Law for US Employers: Part 2 – Contracts
Employers considering employee requests to relocate must evaluate employment standards and potential tax and immigration implications.
Continue Reading Employee Requests to Relocate: 4 Employer Considerations