On July 24, 2014, the Ontario government passed Bill 14, Building Opportunity and Securing Our Future Act (Budget Measures), 2014, and the House adjourned for the summer break. It will resume sitting in October. More information on Bill 14 and its impact on your organization is available in our FTR Now of July 17, 2014, “Ontario…
Industry: Manufacturing
Ontario Reintroduces Legislation Amending Workplace Laws (Formerly Bill 146)
On July 16, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 18, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014 (“Bill 18”), proposed legislation that would, if passed, make significant changes to a number of employment-related statutes, including the Employment Standards Act, 2000, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act,…
Ontario Budget 2014
On Monday, July 14, 2014, the newly elected Liberal government introduced the 2014 Ontario Budget. As was pledged by Premier Wynne during the election campaign, the new Budget is virtually identical to the version that was first tabled on Thursday, May 1, 2014 (and which triggered the recent election). The newly tabled Budget is still…
Ontario Government Re-Introduces Budget 2014, New Budget Bill
On July 14, 2014, the Ontario government re-introduced its 2014 Budget, entitled Building Opportunity, Securing Our Future (the “Budget”). On the same day, it tabled Bill 14, Building Opportunity and Securing Our Future Act (Budget Measures), 2014. The amendments outlined in Bill 14 are similar, but not identical, to measures proposed in the May 2014 Budget Bill…
Notice Period for 70 Year Old Plaintiff Reduced
In a recent decision, Kotecha v. Affinia, the Court of Appeal for Ontario reduced the 24.5 months’ notice that had been awarded to a 70 year old plaintiff, holding that there were no exceptional circumstances to justify the award. While the Court found that it was unlikely the employee would obtain similar employment, the award…
Discharge for Posting Disparaging Comments about Co-Worker on Facebook Upheld by Arbitrator
An arbitrator recently upheld the dismissal of a three and one-half year employee who had posted humiliating and threatening comments about a co-worker on Facebook. Among other things, she found that the grievor’s actions, while done off-duty, created a poisoned work environment. In so finding, the arbitrator considered the employer’s workplace violence and harassment policy….
Common Law Notice – Can Employers Deduct STD and LTD Payments?
As demonstrated by the Ontario Superior Court’s recent decision in Diamantopoulos v. KPMG LLP (“KPMG“), the answer to this question is still “it depends.” In determining the issue, courts will look at a number of contextual factors to determine “the intention of the parties” when they entered the employment agreement. In KPMG, the plaintiff commenced a…
CASL Regulations Amended
On May 28, 2014, Regulations Amending the Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations (CRTC) (“Regulations”) were registered and came into force. The Regulations amend the Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations (CRTC) made under Canada’s Anti-spam legislation (“CASL”), to provide that section 5 of the Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations (CRTC) (“Specified Functions of Computer Programs”) comes into effect on…
Canada Labour Code Health and Safety Amendments to Come into Force on October 31, 2014
The federal government has fixed October 31, 2014 as the date that Division 5 of Part 3 of the federal Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 2 will come into force. Division 5 of Part 3 of the Act amends the Canada Labour Code (“Code”) and makes consequential amendments to other statutes to align them with these changes….
CPP Regulations Amended to Define “Substantially Gainful” Occupation
On June 18, 2014, Regulations Amending the Canada Pension Plan Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette. As previously reported, the Regulations amend the Canada Pension Plan Regulations to prescribe the meaning of “‘substantially gainful’, in respect of an occupation” in subsections 42(1) and 89(1) of the Canada Pension Plan, one of the factors relevant…