On September 26, 2018, the Ontario government and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) announced that WSIB premium rates for employers will be reduced by almost 30 percent, starting January 1, 2019. The announcement states the reduction is due to the elimination of the unfunded liability of the WSIB’s Insurance Fund. The unfunded liability…
Industry: Arts & Sports
Recreational Cannabis Update
On September 27, 2018, the Ontario government introduced Bill 36, the Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018. If passed, Bill 36 will make significant amendments to the Cannabis Act, 2017, create the new Cannabis Licence Act, 2018 and will amend various provincial legislation to adjust for the upcoming legalization of recreational cannabis on October 17, 2018.
New Cannabis Legislation Tabled by Ontario Government
On September 27, 2018, the Ontario government tabled Bill 36, the Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018. If passed, Bill 36 will enact the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018 and will make amendments to the Cannabis Act, 2017, the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation Act, 2017 and the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, as well as consequential amendments…
Early Effective Date Announced for New Federal Parental Sharing Benefit
The government has announced that the new federal Parental Sharing Benefit will launch on March 17, 2019. As we previously reported, the 2018 federal Budget (Budget) proposed to establish an additional Parental Sharing Benefit with the goal of encouraging parents to share Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. The intended goal of this reform was to allow…
Cannabis in the Workplace: Workplace Policy [Video]
In light of the upcoming legalization of recreational cannabis, it is critical that employers review all current policies to determine whether revisions are required. In this video, Jacqueline Luksha reviews key features of a Drug and Alcohol policy related to cannabis in the workplace. She also discusses the importance of training regarding cannabis use, and touches on policies dealing with accommodation requests.
Setting up Shop in Canada? What U.S. Employers Need to Know About Canadian Labour Law – Part 2 [Video]
In this series, David Bannon walks through some key differences in labo(u)r law that U.S. employers should know when buying, selling or operating a business in Canada. In this installment, David discusses employer’s ability to communicate with employees during organizing and bargaining, the lack of “Right to work” jurisdictions in Canada, the timing of legal strikes and constitutional protections for labour processes. In the previous installment, David discussed the governing regimes for labour relations, the timing of the union certification process and an employer’s duty to disclose certain information to a train union.
Setting up Shop in Canada? What U.S. Employers Need to Know About Canadian Labour Law – Part 1 [Video]
In this series, David Bannon walks through some key differences in labo(u)r law that U.S. employers should know when buying, selling or operating a business in Canada. In this instalment, David discusses the governing regimes for labour relations in Canada, the timing of the union certification process and an employer’s duty to disclose certain information to a trade union.
Court Upholds ESA-Only Termination Clause Which Did Not Expressly Mention Benefits
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently upheld a termination clause in an employment contract which limited entitlements upon termination to the minimum available under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) but which did not make explicit reference to the continuation of benefits during the statutory notice period. In Burton v. Aronovitch McCauley Rollo LLP,…
FTR Quarterly – Issue 10
In This Issue: 5 Key Things for Employers to Consider in Drafting Termination Clauses in Employment Contracts, What Is – and What Isn’t – Constructive Dismissal: An Update, FTRQ&A with John Kloosterman: Key Differences Between Canadian and U.S. Employment Law and much more!
Requiring Proof of Eligibility to Work in Canada on a Permanent Basis Discriminatory
In a recent decision released by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Tribunal found that an employer discriminated against a potential employee on the basis of citizenship when it required proof of eligibility to work in Canada on a permanent basis as a condition of employment.