On December 21, 2020, the Ontario government announced a provincewide shutdown, effective Saturday December 26, 2020. As of that date, all parts of the province will be moved into the Grey Zone and will be subject to modified Rules for Areas in Stage 1 (Stage 1 Rules). Because different areas of the province are under…
Publication Name: FTR Now
Beyond COVID-19: 2020 Year in Review – Cases and Legislation of Note
Employers and human resource professionals will undoubtedly remember 2020 as the “year of the pandemic.” But … there were also legal developments in 2020 that were not related to COVID-19. In this FTR Now, we look at some of the year’s notable “non-pandemic” cases and legislative developments of interest. We also identify some decisions and…
Temporary Relief from ESA Termination and Severance Pay Obligations for Hospitality and Related Industries
On December 17, 2020, the Ontario government filed a new regulation under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), Ontario Regulation 764/20: Terms And Conditions Of Employment In Defined Industries – Hospitality, Tourism And Convention And Trade Show Industries (Regulation). As stated by the government, the Regulation provides certain employers with an alternative to putting termination…
Ontario Government Announces Extension of Temporary Relief from ESA Termination and Severance Provisions
Effective December 17, 2020, the Ontario government has extended the temporary relief measures from the termination and severance provisions of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) until July 3, 2021. The temporary measures are found in Ontario Regulation 228/20, Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (IDEL Regulation), and had been set to expire January 2, 2021. The…
Fall Economic Statement Announces Proposals Related to Employee Stock Options and Home Office Expense Deductions
On November 30, 2020, the Department of Finance released Supporting Canadians and Fighting COVID-19: Fall Economic Statement 2020 (Fall Economic Statement). In this FTR Now, we focus on two key proposals contained in the Fall Economic Statement that will be of interest to employers and human resources professionals: (i) proposed amendments to the employee stock…
Cuing Up CEWS Through June 2021: Details Confirmed Through March 13, 2021
The Canadian government has announced the details of the extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program into June 2021. CEWS was established in March 2020 to support employers, and their employees, during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing a subsidy with respect to eligible remuneration paid by eligible employers who have experienced reduced revenues…
Ontario Expands Testing for COVID-19 – What Employers Need to Know
On November 20, 2020, the Ontario government filed two regulations that allow point-of-care testing for COVID-19 to take place outside of laboratories and permit an expanded list of healthcare professionals to perform COVID-19 testing. The regulations came into effect on November 20.
Modernizing Canada’s Privacy Laws: What Employers Need to Know About Bill C-11
On November 17, 2020, the federal government introduced Bill C-11, An Act to enact the Consumer Privacy Protection Act and the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts.
Ontario Places Toronto and Peel Region into Lockdown, Changes Made to Other Regions
On November 20, 2020 the Ontario government announced that it will be moving certain regions of the province to new levels of the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework (Framework). This included moving the City of Toronto and Peel Region to the Grey Zone – Lockdown of the Framework, effective earlier today, November 23 at 12:01 a.m. These restrictions will be in effect for at least 28 days.
Note Extended Deadline for Filing AODA Compliance Report, and More
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets out the process for developing and enforcing accessibility standards in Ontario. Its purpose is to achieve accessibility standards for Ontarians with physical and mental disabilities by 2025. All levels of government, private sector organizations and non-profit organizations must comply with this legislation.