On December 9, 2009, the Ontario Legislature passed Bill 168, the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace), 2009. Bill 168 will come into effect on June 15, 2010. Bill 168, which requires employers to develop policies to address workplace violence and harassment and to assess the risk of violence…
Industry: Membership Associations
Alcohol and the Office Party
With the holiday season approaching, employers are once again planning their holiday festivities. Whether the festivity is large or small, it remains as important as ever that employers take proactive steps to ensure the health and safety of their employees who attend office parties or other celebrations. Over the years, a number of court decisions…
AODA Update: Final Proposed Employment Accessibility Standard Released
Employers and human resources practitioners in Ontario need to know about the latest development under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”). The Ontario government just released the Final Proposed Employment Accessibility Standard (“Final Proposed Standard”), which, if adopted as law in its current form, will broadly impact the employment practices of nearly…
Bill 168, The Occupational Health And Safety Amendment Act (Violence And Harassment In The Workplace) 2009, Carried At Second Reading
On October 20, 2009, Bill 168, the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace) 2009 was debated and carried at Second Reading. The Bill has been Ordered referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy by the Ontario Legislature. As you may know, the Committee review process can take days,…
New Rules of Civil Procedure
Effective January 1, 2010, the Rules of Civil Procedure governing all civil litigation matters brought in the Superior Court of Ontario will come into force. This FTR Now highlights some of the key changes that will impact the manner in which employment-related actions are litigated, including wrongful dismissal claims, constructive dismissal claims, and claims for…
Ban on Hand-Held Devices And Display Screens Starts In October
In our FTR Now of September 24, 2009, “Cell Phone and Blackberry Restrictions For Drivers Are Coming Into Force: Is Your Workplace Ready?,” we provided you with a detailed overview of the new legislation restricting the use of hand-held mobile technology devices and presence of display screens while driving. Yesterday, the Ontario Government announced that…
Ontario Government Introduces Workplace Violence Legislation
On April 20, 2009, the Ontario Government introduced amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act) to address workplace violence and harassment. If passed, Bill 168, the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace), 2009, would require employers to develop policies to address workplace violence and harassment and to…
Accident Investigations
As the number of prosecutions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”) continue to rise, clients need to be effectively managing accident investigations. We have summarized some of the key OHSA issues that arise in any accident: 1. Know the Reporting Requirements The OHSA sets out different reporting requirements depending on the type of…
Ontario Government Announces Pension Funding Relief
Spurred on by the current economic unrest, the Ontario Government announced yesterday that it will introduce legislation in early 2009 to provide pension plans with solvency funding relief. Following on the heels of the release of the Report of the Expert Commission on Pensions, the proposed temporary solvency relief is intended to better ensure the…
Enjoying a Safe Holiday Season
The holiday season is once again upon us. While some employers may be scaling back on festivities this year, it remains as important as ever that employers take proactive steps to ensure the health and safety of their employees who attend office parties or other celebrations. Over the years, a number of court decisions have…