Canadian Leaders in Labour & Employment Law

Since 2021, the Ontario government has passed a series of Bills each with some variation of the title, “Working for Workers Act”. These Bills have amended a range of employment-related statutes, including the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA).

On April 9, the Federal Government released the full text of the temporary Employment Insurance Regulations (Pilot Project No. 24), addressing the economic impacts from the tariffs. In this FTR Now, Andrew Easto explores what these temporary changes mean for impacted workers and employers.

Ontario employers need to prepare for significant changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) coming into effect in 2025 and early 2026. These amendments, introduced through various "Working for Workers" Acts, create new obligations regarding employee leaves, information disclosure requirements, and job posting transparency. Organizations must understand these changes to ensure compliance and update their workplace policies accordingly.