On March 20, 2023, the Ontario government tabled Bill 79, Working for Workers Act, 2023. If passed, Bill 79 would amend several statutes including the Employment Standards Act, 2000, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act, 2009. In this FTR Now, we review proposed amendments of particular interest…
Industry: Healthcare
Ontario Tables Bill to Create Integrated Community Health Services Centres, and More
On February 21, 2023, the Ontario government tabled Bill 60, Your Health Act, 2023 for First Reading. The government states that the objective of the Bill is to reduce wait times for surgeries, procedures and diagnostic imaging ‘while enabling its new “As of Right” rules to automatically recognize the credentials of health care workers registered in other provinces and territories.’ If passed, Bill 60 would enact the Integrated Community Health Services Centres Act, 2023 (Proposed Act) which would create integrated community health services centres, among other things.
Ontario Proposes Amendments to Long-Term Care Sector Regulations
Ontario’s Ministry of Long-Term Care has tabled a proposal to amend Regulation 246/22 made under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021. The proposed amendments focus on changes to staffing qualifications, medication management and drug administration and overall resident experience. Regulation 246/22 prescribes residents’ rights, plans of care, nursing and personal support services, nutritional care, medical…
Hicks Morley Welcomes Stephanie Savoni as WSIB Counsel
Managing Partner Craig Rix is pleased to announce that Stephanie Savoni has joined the firm as WSIB Counsel.
Stephanie J. Savoni
Stephanie Savoni is counsel to Hicks Morley in its Toronto office, and has been working in the field of workplace safety and insurance law for over 22 years. Her practice has been dedicated exclusively to representing employers in workplace safety and insurance law matters for the past 19 years.
Ontario Arbitrator Finds National Day of Mourning Not a Holiday under Collective Agreements
An Ontario arbitrator has found that the “National Day of Mourning” on September 19, 2022 was not a “holiday” within the meaning of the collective agreements in issue as that day was not “proclaimed” to be a holiday by a legislative process. The Prime Minister declared September 19, 2022 to be a National Day of…
Beyond COVID-19: 2022 Year in Review – Cases and Legislation of Note
Employers and human resource professionals will undoubtedly remember 2022 as another year shaped by the pandemic.
But…there were also legal developments in 2022 that were not related to COVID-19. In this FTR Now, we look at some of the past year’s notable “non-pandemic” cases and legislative developments.
Class Action Certified Against the MLTC Respecting COVID-19 Deaths/Illnesses in Long-Term Care Homes
In Robertson v. Ontario, Justice Belobaba of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently certified a class proceeding against the Ontario Minister of Long-Term Care (MLTC). The case relates to the deaths or serious illness due to COVID-19 of thousands of residents in provincially regulated long-term care (LTC) homes. Although the class proceeding was certified,…
Attendance Management Training Workshop 201
Employee absenteeism is one of the most challenging issues an employer faces and it can impact productivity and morale in the workplace. In addressing absenteeism issues, employers must be aware of the interplay between their legitimate expectation that employees attend work regularly and the many valid reasons for absences, including statutory leaves and an employee’s human rights.
Attendance Management Training Workshop 101
Employee absenteeism is one of the most challenging issues an employer faces and it can impact productivity and morale in the workplace. In addressing absenteeism issues, employers must be aware of the interplay between their legitimate expectation that employees attend work regularly and the many valid reasons for absences, including statutory leaves and an employee’s human rights.