The Right to Disconnect and More: Final Federal Post of 2018

In this smartphone and email-intensive world, should there be a “right to disconnect”? In our final Federal Post of 2018, George Vuicic looks at this question, which was discussed in the federal government’s recent report on modernizing federal labour standards. Find out what’s happening on the legislative front. Kim Pepper reviews new legislation requiring the…

Reduction of WSIB Premium Rates for Employers Announced

On September 26, 2018, the Ontario government and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) announced that WSIB premium rates for employers will be reduced by almost 30 percent, starting January 1, 2019. The announcement states the reduction is due to the elimination of the unfunded liability of the WSIB’s Insurance Fund. The unfunded liability…

WSIB Rate Framework Policies Finalized

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has finalized the following core policies which will support the new Rate Framework, to be implemented on January 1, 2020: Coverage Status The Classification Structure Single or Multiple Premium Rates Associated Employers Employer Level Premium Rate Setting Employer Premium Adjustment As previously reported, the WSIB held public consultations…

Introducing HR HealthCheck – Nurses and Presumptive PTSD Entitlement

Welcome to our first edition of HR HealthCheck, a publication geared to issues of specific interest of our clients in the healthcare sector. We hope you find the information set out below on the new presumptive entitlement for nurses who experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) helpful and informative. We look forward to bringing you more updates in the future.

Ontario Budget Bill Passes

On May 8, 2018, Bill 31, the Plan for Care and Opportunity Act (Budget Measures), 2018, passed Third Reading and received Royal Assent. As previously reported, Bill 31 is omnibus legislation implementing some of the key initiatives outlined in the government’s 2018 Budget. Bill 31 makes the following pension-related changes: Increases Pension Benefits Guarantee Fund…

Workplace Law in Canada: A Primer

This Guide provides American employers with an introduction to employment laws and regulations that affect businesses in Canada. It outlines an overview of the main differences between Canadian and U.S. workplace laws.

WSIA Amendments Imposing Costs for Workplace Accidents on Clients of Temporary Help Agencies Still Awaiting Proclamation

In 2014, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) was amended by Bill 18, the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014, to enact a broad regulation-making power with respect to injuries incurred by temporary help agency assignment employees who are injured while working for a client of the agency. Specifically, the injury…

Supreme Court of Canada Finds Employers Have Duty to Accommodate Under Workers’ Compensation Legislation

The Supreme Court of Canada recently considered an employer’s duty to accommodate under Québec’s workers’ compensation legislation, the Act Respecting Industrial Accidents and Occupational Diseases (Act). In Quebec (Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail) v. Caron, the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail…

Changes to the WSIB’s Annual Indexing: Are You Prepared?

Effective January 1, 2018, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) will utilize a single indexing factor to calculate the annual adjustment to all indexed benefits and the legislated amounts as a result of recent amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA). To support the implementation of these changes, the WSIB has developed a new policy (18-01-14 Annual Indexing) and revised several existing benefit payment policies. Learn more in this FTR Now.

FTR Quarterly – Issue 8

In This Issue 10 Top Developments in Human Resources Law in 2017 The Road Ahead: Key 2018 Implementation Dates Cross-Border Expertise Featured Articles 10 Top Developments in Human Resources Law in 2017 By: Amanda Lawrence-Patel 2017 was quite a year for news – with harassment revelations that have rocked institutions across North America, a new…