Appellate Court Finds National Day of Mourning Not a Paid Holiday Under Collective Agreements

The issue of whether the National Day of Mourning is considered a “holiday” under a particular collective agreement has been the topic of recent arbitral decisions. On November 7, 2023, the Divisional Court weighed in on the issue and found that the National Day of Mourning is not a paid holiday under the applicable collective…

Ontario to Table Legislative Changes Relating to Injured Workers

On November 8, 2023, the Ontario government announced its intention to introduce legislation that would include the following protections for injured workers: The government also announced it will be launching consultations on a new job-protected leave for employees who are dealing with a critical illness, such as cancer. This new leave would match the length…

Ontario to Introduce Legislation Banning Requirements for Canadian Work Experience in Job Postings

On November 9, 2023, the Ontario government announced its intention to introduce legislation which it states would be aimed at protecting internationally trained workers. If passed, the legislation would ban employers from requiring Canadian work experience as a requirement in job postings and application forms. The government also announced that it will be “proposing changes…

Ontario Announces Proposed Changes to Employment Requirements, Including Disclosure of Salary Ranges in Job Postings

On November 6, 2023, the Ontario government announced it will introduce legislation to require Ontario employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings. The legislation would also require employers to disclose whether they used artificial intelligence during the hiring process. Other proposed changes include: Further, the government announced that it will be conducting consultations on…

Ontario’s Bill 79, Working for Workers Act, 2023 Receives Royal Assent

On October 26, 2023, Ontario’s Bill 79, Working for Workers Act, 2023 (Bill 79) received Royal Assent. Bill 79 amends several statutes including the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act, 2009 (EPFNA). Changes introduced by Bill 79 include: These measures came…

New CRA Administrative Policy Will Affect Payroll Administration for Fully Remote Work Arrangements

In September 2023, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) published a new administrative policy that could impact the payroll deductions an employer must make in respect of employees who work fully remotely. The new policy will be effective January 1, 2024 and may require changes to the payroll tables applied to fully remote workers in 2024…

EMC Canada: Quarterly Legal Update: Eastern Ontario

George Vuicic and Nigel McKechnie will present a legal update to help navigate challenges affecting the manufacturing sector. They will discuss topics including taxable allocation of settlements, termination and severance amounts, understanding the requirements regarding workplace harassment and investigations, and recent changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000.

Federal Government Extends Consultation on Accessibility Standard on Employment

Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) has extended the period for interested stakeholders to provide comments on its draft Accessibility Standard on Employment (Standard). Interested stakeholders now have until October 31, 2023 to provide comments. The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) came into force on July 11, 2019, and the Accessible Canada Regulations (Regulations) made under the ACA…

A Practical Guide to Recognizing and Addressing Discrimination in the Workplace

This session focuses on recognizing, addressing and responding to discrimination in the workplace. Discrimination in the workplace is multi-faceted (including direct, indirect, and systemic discrimination, unconscious bias, microaggressions, retaliations and reprisals, conduct by exclusion and abuse of authority). Without proper identification, discrimination cannot be appropriately addressed and combatted. This session will provide attendees with the tools necessary to identify the various types of discrimination at play in the workplace, and will provide legal and practical takeaways and best practices for responding proactively and reactively.