On April 4, 2019, the President of the Treasury Board, Peter Bethlenfalvy, delivered a speech entitled The Path to Balance: Protecting What Matters Most in which he announced that the Ontario government will engage in consultations with public sector employers and bargaining agents on how to best manage compensation growth in the public sector. In…
Insights
Human Resources Legislative Update
Bill 66 Passes, Amends ESA, LRA and PBA
On April 3, 2019, Bill 66, Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, 2019, received Royal Assent. Bill 66 is omnibus legislation which amends various statutes, including the following employment-related statutes: Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) The ESA has been amended to remove the need for employers to obtain the approval of the Director of Employment Standards in…
Case In Point
Appellate Court Finds Preferential Treatment of WSIB Claimants in Workplace Not Discriminatory
The Ontario Divisional Court recently released Carter v. FCA Canada Inc and Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, a decision which affirms that differential treatment between employees with work-related injuries and employees with non-work-related injuries is not discriminatory under the Ontario Human Rights Code (Code). The applicant, who had a non-work-related injury, sought to return to…
FTR Now
Important Changes to Policing in Ontario
By Glenn Christie
With the passage of Bill 68, Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act, 2019 (Act), on March 26, 2019, policing in Ontario is set to undergo some important changes. These changes are not limited in their effect to police service boards, police associations and individuals who work in policing. They are also very important for municipalities and the wider community.
ESA Compliance Checklist
Employers are required to comply with the minimum standards set out in the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA). In this Checklist, we provide a general overview of an employer’s ESA compliance obligations, along with checklists to assist you in assessing your degree of compliance.
FTR Views
Coverage for Medical Cannabis under Ontario’s Workers’ Compensation System [Video]
The legalization of recreational cannabis, which came into effect on October 17, 2018, has raised many questions for employers about cannabis use in the workplace, as well as potential coverage of cannabis under benefit plans. In this video, Mariana Kamenetsky and Kathryn Meehan talk about coverage for medical cannabis under Ontario’s workers’ compensation system.
Human Resources Legislative Update
Proposed OHSA Regulatory Changes for Automobile Manufacturing Plant Construction Projects
The Ontario government has posted the following two proposed amendments to regulations made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) which pertain to automobile manufacturers and to construction firms which undertake construction projects on behalf of owners of automobile manufacturing plants
Human Resources Legislative Update
Bill 66 Ordered for Third Reading with Committee Changes to Non-Construction Employer Provisions of LRA
On March 21, 2019, Bill 66, the Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, 2019, was referred for Third Reading in the Ontario Legislature by the Standing Committee on General Government, with amendments. Bill 66 is omnibus legislation that, if passed, will amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA) and the Pension…
Case In Point
Ontario Court of Appeal Provides Guidance on Deterrence and Sentencing in OHSA Fatality Case
A recent decision from the Ontario Court of Appeal, Ontario (Labour) v. New Mex Canada Inc., confirms that it will only be in the rarest of cases where a jail sentence is seen to be appropriate in an occupational health and safety case, considering the weight the principle of deterrence should have on sentences given…
FTR Now
Federal Budget 2019 – Something for (Almost) Everyone?
On March 19, 2019, the federal government tabled its 2019 Budget, “Investing in the Middle Class.” This is an election year, and there is a wide array of initiatives sprinkled throughout the Budget, covering many groups and sectors. There is something for (almost) everyone. In this FTR Now, we focus on the key employment, labour, executive compensation, pension and employee benefits announcements of most interest to employers, human resources professionals, plan sponsors and administrators.