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Ontario Releases ORPP Consultation Paper

On December 17, 2014, the Ontario government released a consultation paper inviting feedback on key design details and essential components of the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (“ORPP”), including: defining a “comparable workplace pension plan,” to clarify membership in the ORPP; a minimum earnings threshold below which low-income workers would be exempt from contributions; and retirement…

BPS Accountability Legislation Passes with Significant Amendments

On December 9, 2014, the Ontario government passed Bill 8, the Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014, which gives the government the authority to create comprehensive compensation frameworks for certain employers in the broader public sector (“BPS”), and implements a number of measures to enhance “accountability and transparency” in the government and…

BPS Compensation and Accountability Legislation Receives Royal Assent

On December 11, 2014,  Bill 8, the Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014 (formerly Bill 179), received Royal Assent, as amended by the Standing Committe on General Government. Highlights of the Committee amendments and the impact of the legislation on affected organizations is now available in our FTR Now, “BPS Accountability Legislation Passes…

Ontario Introduces ORPP and PRPP Legislation

On December 8, 2014, the Ontario government introduced Bill 56, the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan Act, 2014, legislation intended to address the issue of retirement undersavings. As we previously reported, the government initiated a public consultation process regarding Ontario retirement pension plan (“ORPP”) implementation through targeted questions to employees and employers in November, 2014. A…

Arbitrators Address Off-Duty Social Media Comments

Two recent City of Toronto arbitrations have addressed the issue of discipline for off-duty social media comments. On November 12, 2014, Arbitrator Elaine Newman found that the social media comments of an off-duty Toronto firefighter, which disparaged women, the disabled and visible minorities (among others), constituted serious misconduct and damaged the reputation of the Toronto…

Ontario Announces ORPP Consultation Process

On November 18, 2014, the Ontario government published additional information outlining the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (“ORPP”) framework, and is presently soliciting feedback on the ORPP design and implementation process through a series of targeted questions for employers and employees. Verbal or written feedback may be provided directly to the Associate Minister of Finance. No…

Omnibus Workplace Laws Bill Receives Royal Assent (Bill 18)

On November 20, 2014, Bill 18, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014 (“Bill 18”) received Royal Assent, as amended by the Standing Committee on General Government. Among other matters, effective February 20, 2015 (i.e. three months after Royal Assent): the $10,000 cap on orders to pay wages under s. 103(4) of the…

Omnibus Workplace Laws Bill Amended at Committee Stage (Bill 18)

On November 4, 2014, Bill 18, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014 (“Bill 18”) was reported back to the Legislature as amended by the Standing Committee on General Government, and has been ordered for Third Reading. Among other things, the Committee’s amendments will accelerate the coming into force of key amendments, including the following…

Federal Government Proposes Amendments to Temporary Foreign Worker Program

On October 23, 2014, the federal government introduced Bill C-43, Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 2, omnibus legislation intended to further implement measures first announced in its Budget 2014, Economic Action Plan 2014. Among other matters, Division 24 of Part 4 of Bill C-43 would amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (“Act”) to support a…

Hicks Morley Featured in Benefits and Pensions Monitor

On August 7, 2014, Benefits and Pensions Montior cited Hicks Morley’s recent FTR Now entitled “Budget Bill Includes Carrigan Pre-Retirement Death Benefit Fix.” This FTR Now discusses the July 24, 2014 amendments to the Pension Benefits Act (Ontario) which are intended to address the impact of the Ontario Court of Appeal’s 2012 decision in Carrigan v. Carrigan Estate. The amendments clarify the…