On October 11, 2017, the Ontario government published proposed amendments to regulations made under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) which would be required if Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (Bill 148) is passed. Proposed consequential amendments to O. Reg. 285/01 (Exemptions, Special Rules and Establishment of Minimum Wage) and O. Reg….
Industry: Government Ministries & Agencies (Federal and Provincial)
2018 EI Premium Rate, Maximum Insurable Earnings Set
The Canada Employment Insurance Commission (CEIC) has set the 2018 Employment Insurance (EI) premium rate at$1.66 per $100 of insurable earnings. This represents a 3 cent increase for employees over the 2017 rate, and 4 cents for employers who pay 1.4 times the employee rate. For Quebec residents covered under the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan,…
WSIB Rate Framework Policy Consultation Extended
As we previously reported, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board has launched a public consultation on draft policies for the new Rate Framework, which will be implemented on January 1, 2020. The deadline for submissions on the Rate Framework Policy Consultation has been extended from October 13, 2017 to December 5, 2017. Submissions can be…
OMHRA ECHO Newsletter Features Articles by Stephanie Jeronimo and Julia Nanos
The Fall 2017 issue of OMHRA’s ECHO newsletter features two articles by Hicks Morley lawyers. Stephanie Jeronimo and Julia Nanos authored “Bill 148 Changes to the ESA – Are You Prepared?” which explores the key changes that Bill 148 – the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 will bring to employers…
WSIB Announces 2018 Premium Rates
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board has announced its 2018 premium rates and has approved a 3.3% reduction to the average premium rate for next year. Any increases in premium rates will relate only to costs arising from the chronic mental stress (CMS) amendment to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, which comes into…
Ontario Minimum Wage to Increase on October 1, 2017
On October 1, 2017, the general minimum wage in Ontario will increase from $11.40 to $11.60 an hour. This minimum wage applies to most employees. Minimum wage rates for specified students, liquor servers, hunting and fishing guides and homeworkers will increase on the same date. Note that the Ontario government has tabled legislation to increase…
Change on the Horizon: Ontario Pension Plan Funding Reform is Coming Soon
Earlier this year, the Ontario government announced proposed reforms to pension plan funding that will have a significant impact on employers and plan administrators with plans registered in Ontario. These changes are expected to be part of the government’s Fall agenda, and will be of particular interest to employers who provide single employer defined benefit (DB) pension plans or participate in multi-employer pension plans (MEPPs) in Ontario.
WSIB Rate Framework Implementation Date Set for January 1, 2020
Further to O. Reg. 349/17 which amends O. Reg. 470/16 made under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, the new Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Rate Framework will be implemented on January 1, 2020, which is one year later than the initial targeted implementation date. As we previously reported, the Rate Framework will fundamentally change…
Jessica M. Toldo
Jessica advises employers on a wide range of labour and employment matters. This includes labour disputes, grievance arbitrations, human rights and accommodation.
Union Need Not be Involved in Every Accommodation Request, Appeal Court Rules (and the Supreme Court Agrees)
Earlier this year, the British Columbia Court of Appeal issued a helpful decision for employers dealing with accommodation issues in a unionized context. On September 7, 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada denied the union’s request for leave to appeal from the B.C. Court of Appeal decision. The B.C. Court of Appeal decision considered the…