Federal Government Publishes Exemptions to New Hours of Work and Notice of Schedule Requirements under Canada Labour Code

The federal government recently published Exemptions from and Modifications to Hours of Work Provisions Regulations (Regulations) made under the Canada Labour Code (CLC). The Regulations provide certain exemptions and modifications to the CLC provisions requiring employers to provide 96 hours’ notice of work schedule, 24 hours’ notice of shift change, 30-minute breaks every 5 hours…

Ontario Announces Further Extension of Paid and Deemed Infectious Disease Emergency Leaves

On December 7, 2021, the Ontario government announced that it would be extending the program that provides eligible employees with up to three days of paid infectious disease emergency leave (Paid IDEL) until July 31, 2022 (previously set to expire December 31, 2021). The government also announced that it would be extending the temporary relief…

Ontario Releases Recommendations on the “Future of Work”

On December 9, 2021, the Ontario government released The Future of Work in Ontario, a report from the Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee that includes 21 recommendations on the future of work in the province. The recommendations focus on three key areas: economic recovery, strengthening the province’s competitive position and supporting workers. As we reported…

Bill 27, Working for Workers Act, Receives Royal Assent

On December 2, 2021, Bill 27, Working for Workers Act, 2021, received Royal Assent. We reviewed Bill 27 in detail in our FTR Now of October 26, 2021, Ontario Proposes Significant Changes to ESA and Other Employment-Related Legislation, as well as our FTR Now of December 1, 2021, Ontario Passes Bill 27, Working for Workers…

Federal Government Announces COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Federally Regulated Workplaces

On December 7, 2021, the federal government announced that it will propose regulations under Part II of the Canada Labour Code to make vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory in all federally regulated workplaces. The government stated that it will be consulting with key stakeholders on these new regulations, which it anticipates will come into force in…

Ontario Passes Bill 27, Working for Workers Act, As Amended at Committee

On November 30, 2021, the Ontario government passed Bill 27, Working for Workers Act, 2021.

The Bill will amend a number of statutes, including the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997….

Arbitrator Finds Mandatory Vaccination Policy to be Unreasonable

In this FTR Now, we review the arbitration award issued on November 11, 2021 by Arbitrator John Stout in Electrical Safety Authority and Power Workers’ Union, in which he assessed the reasonableness of an employer’s mandatory vaccination policy. In the specific context of the workplace, and its associated workplace dangers and hazards arising from COVID-19…

Advantage CPD: Labour and Employment Year in Review

Please note registration for this event is now closed. Overview The pandemic has changed the way people work and placed heightened obligations on employers. Throughout 2021—the first full year working under pandemic-related rules—worker protection, health and safety and the duty to accommodate have emerged as some of the most complex matters for employers. Join us…