On April 29, 2014, Bill 21, Employment Standards Amendment Act (Leaves to Help Families), 2014, as amended by the Standing Committee on General Government, passed Third Reading in the Ontario Legislature and received Royal Assent. As previously reported, the Bill will allow eligible employees to take the following job-protected unpaid leaves of absence: •Family Caregiver Leave…
Insights
Hicks Morley publishes a number of materials, both electronic and print, on issue-specific and sector-specific topics of interest to our clients. Our insights section has links to all of our various publications, updates and blogs, both current and historical, to keep you informed of developments in the law that impact human resources.
Human Resources Legislative Update
Ontario Proposes Significant Regulatory Amendments under Pension Benefits Act
On April 25, 2014, the Ontario government announced a number of proposed amendments to Regulation 909 made under the Pension Benefits Act (“PBA”), further to its ongoing pension reform initiatives. The government is inviting comments from stakeholders on the following proposals: Proposed Amendment to Regulation 909 under the Pension Benefits Act: Disclosure of Environmental, Social…
Human Resources Legislative Update
Federal Government Consults Public on Proposed Target Benefit Plans Framework
On April 24, 2014, the federal government announced the launch of consultations on a potential federal framework for Target Benefit Plans (“TBP”). TBPs, if introduced through subsequent legislative reforms, would create a new pension design option available to federally regulated private sector and Crown corporation plan sponsors under the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985 (“PBSA”)….
Human Resources Legislative Update
Enforcement Blitzes Announced for Ontario Workplaces
The Ontario Ministry of Labour (“MOL”) has released a schedule for coordinated, proactive enforcement blitzes under both the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and the Occupational Health and Safety Act in 2014-2015. The MOL schedule sets out province-wide, sector-specific “Provincial Blitzes, as well as smaller-scale “Provincial Initiatives” and “Regional Initiatives.”
Human Resources Legislative Update
Alberta Introduces Additional Pension Reforms
On April 16, 2014, the Alberta government introduced Bill 10, Employment Pension (Private Sector) Plans Amendment Act, 2014. Bill 10, if passed, will further amend the new Employment Pension Plans Act (“EPPA”). These proposed reforms are in addition to the amendments set out in Bill 10, Employment Pension Plans Act, which received Royal Assent on December…
School Board Update
Bill 122 Passes Third Reading and Receives Royal Assent
Bill 122, the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014 (“SBCBA“), passed third reading on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 and received Royal Assent on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. It now awaits proclamation by the Lieutenant Governor. Our School Board Update of October 24, 2013 described the Bill in considerable detail. In this School Board Update, we…
FTR Now
Supervisors of Part-Time College Employees Now Excluded from Union Membership
In a decision with important implications for colleges across the province, Arbitrator Brian Keller has found that college employees who supervise part-time bargaining unit members are excluded from bargaining unit membership by operation of the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act (the “CCBA” or “Act“). In this FTR Now, we discuss this decision and its significance for…
Human Resources Legislative Update
Federal Government Introduces 2014 Budget Bill
On March 28, 2014, the federal government introduced Bill C-31, the Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 1, omnibus legislation intended to implement a number of initiatives first announced in the 2014 federal Budget, Economic Action Plan 2014. Bill C-31 contains a number of measures we previously reported in our February 13, 2014 FTR Now,…
Case In Point
No Jurisdiction to Determine Unjust Dismissal Complaint Where Employee Terminated Without Cause Pursuant to Employment Contract
In a recent adjudication under the Canada Labour Code (the “Code”), Adjudicator Rose relied on the Federal Court decision in Atomic Energy of Canada v. Wilson to grant an employer’s preliminary objection and dismiss an unjust dismissal complaint. In doing so, he found that in the case of without cause terminations an adjudicator lacks jurisdiction under the…
Human Resources Legislative Update
OHSA Consultation on Implementation of Working at Heights Training
The Ministry of Labour is consulting on the implementation of the Working at Heights Training Program Standard released on December 19, 2013. Specifically, a regulatory proposal outlining amendments to O. Reg. 297/13 (Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”) would, if adopted, require employers subject to O. Reg. 213/91…