Hicks Morley’s Thomas Agnew authored an article in Benefits Canada titled “Court Decision Warns Employers About Financial Liability in Mass Terminations.” Employers should proceed carefully when it comes to mass terminations. A recent court decision in Ontario found the employer’s failure to comply with the Employment Standards Act’s technical posting requirement for mass terminations meant that the notice of termination given prior to the date of the posting was void, exposing the company to potentially significant liability for that period.
Industry: Social Services
Ontario Implements Anti-Racism Act Regulations
On April 20, 2018, the Ontario government filed regulations under the Anti-Racism Act, 2017 (ARA) setting out personal information that certain public sector organizations (PSOs) will be authorized or required to collect under the ARA for the purpose of eliminating systematic racism.
Ontario Budget Bill Passes
On May 8, 2018, Bill 31, the Plan for Care and Opportunity Act (Budget Measures), 2018, passed Third Reading and received Royal Assent. As previously reported, Bill 31 is omnibus legislation implementing some of the key initiatives outlined in the government’s 2018 Budget. Bill 31 makes the following pension-related changes: Increases Pension Benefits Guarantee Fund…
Hicks Morley Lawyers Named Leading Practitioners in the 2018 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory
Hicks Morley congratulates each one of our lawyers who has been recognized as a leading practitioner in the 2018 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory.
The Dawn of a New Day: Ontario Pension Funding Rules Are Here
Effective today, May 1, 2018, the funding rules for Ontario defined benefit (DB) pension plans are fundamentally changed. Learn how they apply to your plan – and how your organization can prepare for implementation.
Ontario Passes Pay Transparency Legislation
On April 26, 2018, Bill 3, the Pay Transparency Act, 2018, passed Third Reading, as amended by the Standing Committee on Social Policy. As we previously reported, Bill 3 enacts new rules governing the disclosure of information about the compensation of employees and prospective employees. Among other things, it requires “employers” (as the term is…
Medical Marijuana in Your Workplace: Employer FAQs
Today – April 20 (4/20) – marks cannabis culture’s unofficial day of celebration, and we thought “weed” mark the occasion by answering a few common employer questions. When do I have to accommodate medical marijuana? While employers have no obligation to permit recreational consumption of marijuana at work or tolerate impairment, they must appropriately accommodate…
Pension Funding Reform Continues: Taking Aim at Target Benefit Multi-Employer Pension Plans
Pension plans that meet the definition of specified Ontario multi-employer pension plans (SOMEPPs) are one step closer to having the option to convert accrued defined benefits (DB) to target benefits (TB) – and one step closer to a permanent exemption from solvency funding. If your organization participates in a SOMEPP, find out what this could mean for your organization in this FTR Now.
Regulations Filed Supporting Discharge of Pension Plan Administrator Upon Purchase of Annuities
On April 3, 2018, the government filed O. Reg. 193/18 (Purchase of Pension Benefits From an Insurance Company – Section 43.1 of the Act) under the Pension Benefits Act (PBA), which complements the recent funding reforms announced for defined benefit pension (DB) plans (the Regulation). As previously discussed, the government proposed rules to support a discharge…
Bill 148 and Collective Bargaining in the Social Services Sector
Many Social Services agencies across Ontario are currently in collective bargaining, or will be shortly. With key Bill 148 amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA) and the Occupational Health and Safety Act now in force, planning your strategic approach is essential to achieving outcomes that will work for your organization, and support your mandate. Learn how you can prepare for the bargaining table in this FTR Now..