In a time where social media blurs the lines between personal and professional conduct, an arbitration decision from earlier this year provides a critical reminder of the necessity to navigate off-duty conduct with care, while also confirming that arbitrators may prioritize a healthy workplace environment over reinstatement to avoid further conflict. In Board of Governors…
Category: Health and Safety
Worker’s Compensation Updates for Ontario and British Columbia
The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and WorkSafeBC have made the following changes that may be of interest to employers. Ontario The WSIB has made changes to accident reporting timelines and the determination of average earnings for apprentices. Specifically, Operational Policy Manual 15-01-02 (Employers’ Initial Accident-Reporting Obligations) and Operational Policy Manual 11-02-01 (No…
Reminder: Naloxone Kit Requirements Effective June 1, 2023
As we reported previously, amendments to the Occupational Health & Safety Act in Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, 2022, which require certain employers to have a naloxone kit in the workplace, have been proclaimed into force effective June 1, 2023. On December 9, 2022, the Ontario government filed O. Reg. 559/22: Naloxone Kits, which…
Changes to the WSIB’s Annual Indexing: Are You Prepared?
Effective January 1, 2018, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) will utilize a single indexing factor to calculate the annual adjustment to all indexed benefits and the legislated amounts as a result of recent amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA). To support the implementation of these changes, the WSIB has developed a new policy (18-01-14 Annual Indexing) and revised several existing benefit payment policies. Learn more in this FTR Now.
Ontario Proposes Legislative Overhaul of Labour Relations Act, 1995 in Bill 148 – Are you Prepared?
The provincial government has wasted little time in responding to the Final Report of the Special Advisors under Ontario’s Changing Workplaces Review (Final Report). On June 1, 2017, the government introduced Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, legislation that if passed, will implement significant reforms to both the Employment Standards Act, 2000…
Le rapport final de l’examen portant sur l’évolution des milieux de travail – Analyse des normes d’emploi
Dans notre troisième mise à jour relative au rapport final de l’examen portant sur l’évolution des milieux de travail (le « Rapport final »), nous axons notre analyse sur les recommandations liées à la Loi de 2000 sur les normes d’emploi. Alors que plusieurs recommandations portent sur des changements proposés à des normes spécifiques, le Rapport final insiste particulièrement sur les mesures de conformité dans le cadre d’initiatives tant dans le domaine de l’éducation que de l’application de la loi, le tout en vue de parvenir à une « culture de convenance et de conformité » en Ontario…
Changing Workplaces Review Final Report – Focus on Employment Standards
In this, our third update related to the Changing Workplaces Review Final Report (Final Report), we focus our discussion on the recommendations related to the Employment Standards Act, 2000. While many of the recommendations relate to proposed changes to specific standards, the Final Report contains a strong emphasis on compliance measures, comprised of both education…
Focus Le rapport final de l’examen portant sur l’évolution des milieux de travail – Analyse de la Loi de 1995 sur les relations de travail
Dans cette mise à jour relative au Rapport final des conseillers spéciaux de l’examen portant sur l’évolution des milieux de travail (le « Rapport final »), nous nous concentrons sur les recommandations des conseillers relativement aux modifications proposées à la Loi de 1995 sur les relations de travail (LRT)…
Changing Workplaces Review Final Report – Focus on the Labour Relations Act, 1995
In this update related to the Final Report of the Special Advisors under Ontario’s Changing Workplaces Review (Final Report), we focus on the recommendations made by the Special Advisors regarding changes to the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA). While some of the key issues we identify in our discussion overlap with recommendations relating to the…
Changing Workplaces Review – Final Report Issued
Earlier today, the government issued the long-awaited final report from the Changing Workplaces Review, entitled An Agenda for Workplace Rights (Final Report), which was prepared by the government-appointed Special Advisors Mr. Justice John Murray and Mr. Michael Mitchell. The Special Advisors were mandated to consider the changing nature of the workplace, the causes behind those…