Bill 47 and Bill 148

On November 21, 2018, Bill 47, the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018 (Bill 47) came into force. This new legislation effectively “undoes” many of the key changes to workplace laws implemented by Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Betters Jobs Act, 2017 (Bill 148). Changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) are effective as of January 1, 2019 and changes to the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA) are effective as of November 21, 2018.

Hicks Morley has the expertise to help you navigate the sweeping range of these changes to the ESA and the LRA, whether your workplace is unionized or non-unionized. At Hicks Morley, we can assist employers by:

  • Conducting an audit of your policies and processes to flag changes that may be required with the Bill 47 ESA reforms
  • Advising on implementation of various ESA changes, such as:
    • changes to the personal emergency leave entitlements and, if unionized, whether the collective agreement provides a greater right or benefit
    • the repeal of equal pay for equal work as it relates to employment status/assignment employee status
    • the enhanced vacation pay entitlement
  • Advising on the new LRA provisions, including:
    • certification rules
    • changes to the just cause protection
    • first contract arbitration rules
  • Providing representation where required to deal with challenges to an employer’s implementation or interpretation of the Bill 148 changes, and how Bill 47 could impact ongoing matters
  • Providing onsite training for human resources professionals and other staff members, who are impacted by the changes.

The Hicks Morley Advantage

As recognized leaders in the areas of employment and labour law, we are well-positioned to assist employers in complying with the workplace law reforms effected by Bill 148 and Bill 47 and in responding to challenges to implementation issues where necessary.

We have expertise in both in reviewing policies to ensure compliance with the new changes and in advising on the application of the new provisions to specific circumstances.

At Hicks Morley, we closely monitor legislative and case law developments and keep our clients informed of their evolving legal obligations through our newsletters and educational programs, such as our in-house Advantage sessions. Our lawyers will also provide training on-site where requested.