On October 18, 2017, Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (Bill 148), as amended by the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, passed Second Reading after debate and was referred back to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs for further review. Read the government’s announcement here. We will continue to…
Industry: Education
Ontario Proposes Amendments to ESA Regulations in Anticipation of Bill 148 and to Administrative Monetary Penalties under ESA, EPFN
On October 11, 2017, the Ontario government published proposed amendments to regulations made under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) which would be required if Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (Bill 148) is passed. Proposed consequential amendments to O. Reg. 285/01 (Exemptions, Special Rules and Establishment of Minimum Wage) and O. Reg….
2018 EI Premium Rate, Maximum Insurable Earnings Set
The Canada Employment Insurance Commission (CEIC) has set the 2018 Employment Insurance (EI) premium rate at$1.66 per $100 of insurable earnings. This represents a 3 cent increase for employees over the 2017 rate, and 4 cents for employers who pay 1.4 times the employee rate. For Quebec residents covered under the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan,…
Arbitrator Declares that DECEs Need Not be Scheduled “Side By Side” with FDK Teachers
In an arbitration award released on October 13, 2017, Arbitrator Russell Goodfellow dismissed a grievance brought by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) concerning the scheduling of breaks accorded to Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECEs) under the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) support staff collective agreements applicable to them. Arbitrator Goodfellow declined to follow the controversial path taken by Arbitrator George Surdykowski in a 2014 decision involving the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (Surdykowski Award) and has established a very useful precedent for school boards to employ. In this School Board Update, we review this important award.
WSIB Rate Framework Policy Consultation Extended
As we previously reported, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board has launched a public consultation on draft policies for the new Rate Framework, which will be implemented on January 1, 2020. The deadline for submissions on the Rate Framework Policy Consultation has been extended from October 13, 2017 to December 5, 2017. Submissions can be…
Back to School Edition – Student-Focused Case Law and Legislative Update
Welcome back to school! We hope everyone enjoyed a restful summer season. To kick off the school year, we bring you the latest edition of our School Board Update with particular emphasis on legislation and decisions involving the student body…
Ontario Expands Access to Licensed Childcare in Schools
The Ontario government has announced that effective September 1, 2017, all publicly funded elementary schools serving students up to Grade 6 are required to provide before- and after-school programs for children aged 4-12 where there is a sufficient demand. The programs may be operated by a school board through a licensed childcare provider for children…
WSIB Announces 2018 Premium Rates
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board has announced its 2018 premium rates and has approved a 3.3% reduction to the average premium rate for next year. Any increases in premium rates will relate only to costs arising from the chronic mental stress (CMS) amendment to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, which comes into…
Ontario Minimum Wage to Increase on October 1, 2017
On October 1, 2017, the general minimum wage in Ontario will increase from $11.40 to $11.60 an hour. This minimum wage applies to most employees. Minimum wage rates for specified students, liquor servers, hunting and fishing guides and homeworkers will increase on the same date. Note that the Ontario government has tabled legislation to increase…
Change on the Horizon: Ontario Pension Plan Funding Reform is Coming Soon
Earlier this year, the Ontario government announced proposed reforms to pension plan funding that will have a significant impact on employers and plan administrators with plans registered in Ontario. These changes are expected to be part of the government’s Fall agenda, and will be of particular interest to employers who provide single employer defined benefit (DB) pension plans or participate in multi-employer pension plans (MEPPs) in Ontario.