Ontario’s Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025 Receives Royal Assent

On November 27, 2025, Ontario’s Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025 (Bill 30) received Royal Assent. Bill 30 amends several statutes including the Employment Standards Act, 2000, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

As the latest installment in the province’s ongoing “Working for Workers” initiative, this omnibus legislation introduces measures to combat fraudulent job postings, permit extended temporary layoffs, establish new job-seeking leaves during mass terminations, and strengthen enforcement mechanisms under workplace health and safety laws.

Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA)

Job Posting Platform Requirements (in force on January 1, 2026)

While most amendments to the ESA came into force immediately upon Royal Assent, the provisions relating to operators of job posting platforms will come into effect on January 1, 2026.

The amendments impose new obligations on operators of “job posting platforms”—defined as online platforms that display publicly advertised job postings. This definition excludes platforms operated by a single employer that only advertise positions with that employer, as well as platforms meeting prescribed criteria.

Operators of job posting platforms must:

establish a mechanism for users to report fraudulent job postings

maintain a written policy addressing fraudulent postings, including procedures for handling reports

conspicuously display the mechanism and the policy where users can readily access them

Copies of the policy must be retained for three years after the policy ceases to be in effect. Notably, the amendments prohibit individuals from filing an employment standards complaint under section 96(1) of the ESA regarding contraventions of these specific requirements

Job Seeking Leave (now in force)

Employees who receive a notice of termination in the context of a mass termination (50 or more employees) are now entitled to a new job seeking leave which provides up to three days of unpaid leave during the notice period for activities such as attending interviews, job searching, or training:

Employees must provide at least three days’ notice before taking the leave, where possible.

Employers may require employees to provide evidence reasonable in the circumstances that they are entitled to the leave.

If an employee takes any part of a day as leave, the employer may deem the employee to have taken one full day of leave.

The entitlement does not apply if the employee is provided with termination pay instead of notice, specifically where the “working notice” period provided is 25 percent or less of the total statutory notice period required.

Extended Layoff Provisions (now in force)

The ESA now permits extended temporary layoffs for non-unionized employees beyond the standard limits, provided specific conditions are met. A layoff may now extend to 35 weeks or more in a period of 52 consecutive weeks but may not reach 52 or more weeks in any period of 78 consecutive weeks.

To utilize this extension:

There must be a written agreement between the employer and employee.

The agreement must specify the latest recall date and must specify that the employee may not withdraw their agreement to the extended layoff.

The employer must apply for an extended temporary layoff and have the application approved by the Director of Employment Standards.

The employer may apply for subsequent Director approvals (provided the total layoff period is not 52 or more weeks in a consecutive 78-week period). Employers must retain copies of extended layoff agreements for three years after the approval expires.

The amendments also establish earnings thresholds that apply to deem employees who do not have a regular work week to be temporarily laid off.

Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)

The following amendments are now in force:

Administrative Penalties

A new administrative penalty scheme is now in effect. Inspectors are authorized to issue notices of administrative penalty for contraventions of the OHSA, its regulations, or for failure to comply with orders. Intended to promote compliance with OHSA requirements, specific penalty amounts will be determined by regulation.

The scheme provides a mechanism for recipients of an administrative penalty notice to request a review of the notice and allows for the enforcement of unpaid penalties as Crown debts. The government may also publish information about the administrative penalties imposed. More significantly, paying an administrative penalty protects a person from being charged with a criminal offence for the same contravention.

Defibrillator Cost Reimbursement

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) will now reimburse eligible employers for the cost of purchasing defibrillators where required by the OHSA.

The OHSA defines a “defibrillator” as an automated external medical device capable of recognizing particular cardiac conditions, determining defibrillation needs, and delivering electrical impulses to an individual’s heart as medically required.

Notably, construction projects expected to last three months or more and employing 20 or more workers must have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on-site.

With respect to the program:

The WSIB will provide reimbursement to support initial compliance expenses.

There is no right of reconsideration or appeal regarding reimbursement decisions.

The WSIB is protected by immunity for its decision-making in this regard.

Please note that the reimbursement program is slated to be repealed on a future date to be named by Order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

Health and Safety Management Systems

Health and safety management systems accredited by the Chief Prevention Officer must now be treated as equivalents for regulatory purposes. The amendments also grant extensive regulation-making authority to govern this equivalency, including the use and related record-keeping of accredited health and safety management systems on construction projects.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA)

The following amendments are now in force:

False Statements

It is now explicitly prohibited for employers to make false or misleading statements to the WSIB in connection with any person’s claim for benefits. The Board may impose administrative penalties for such violations, in addition to any penalties imposed by a court.

Wage Record Penalties

Administrative penalties may be imposed for failing to keep accurate wage records under section 80(1) of the WSIA, or for failing to produce those records under section 80(2). These are in addition to any penalties imposed by a court.

New Offence

A new offence has been created for the failure to pay premiums when due under section 88. Courts are authorized to order restitution requiring payment of outstanding premiums to the WSIB. Restitution amounts are deemed to be owing under the WSIA.

Increased Court Penalties

The maximum penalty for persons convicted of two or more counts of the same offence in the same legal proceeding has increased to $750,000 per conviction.

Courts must now consider mandatory aggravating factors for employer defendants, including:

previous convictions under the WSIA

multiple convictions in the same proceeding

a history of non-compliance

Should you have any questions about the amendments introduced by Bill 30 and how they may impact your workplace, please contact your Hicks Morley lawyer.

The article in this client update provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. This publication is copyrighted by Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP and may not be photocopied or reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the express permission of Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP. ©

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