On June 22, 2023, the Interim Pay Equity Commissioner (Commissioner) denied a request by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, on behalf of the Treasury Board as employer (TBS), for authorization to establish three pay equity plans for employees in the core public administration (CPA). The establishment of multiple plans is an exception to the…
Publication Type: Article
Bill 98, Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 receives Royal Assent
As we reported previously, the Ontario Government introduced Bill 98, Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 (Bill 98) on April 17, 2023. On June 8, 2023, Bill 98 received Royal Assent and is now law. As a result, a number of significant amendments to the Education Act, the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996…
Bill 124 Update and Recent Case Law Developments
Dear Friends, We are back with another edition of Reaching Out. As we go to press, Sean Reginio reminds us that the Ontario Court of Appeal is hearing arguments this week in the government’s appeal of the decision that struck down Bill 124 as unconstitutional. Stay tuned for future updates. It is possible this may…
Standing Committee on Official Languages Amends Federal Bill C-13 regarding the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act
The federal government’s Standing Committee on Official Languages (the Committee) has amended Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts (Act). The new Act sets out new rights for employees which will apply…
Licensing Framework for Temporary Help Agencies and Recruiters Coming into Force
Bill 27, Working for Workers Act, 2021, amended the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) to introduce a new licensing regime for temporary help agencies (THAs) and recruiters that operate in Ontario. We reviewed Bill 27 in detail in previous editions of the FTR Now on October 26, 2021 and again on December 1, 2021. The…
Recent Cases of Note
Welcome to our latest edition of the School Board Update. In this update we discuss two significant decisions. The first is an arbitration decision where the grievor alleged the Ottawa Catholic School Board failed to accommodate her and discriminated against her on the basis of her age by requiring her to teach on site rather…
Government of Canada Announces Changes to Federal Employment Standards Coming Into Force
The Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2 (Bill C-86) amended the Canada Labour Code (CLC) by enacting a new Division XII.1 “Reimbursement of Work-related Expenses,” which will require federally regulated employers to reimburse employees for reasonable work-related expenses, subject to prescribed exceptions. Bill C-86 also enacted a new section titled “Information Related to Employment,” which…
Ontario Government Consultation on Permanent Framework for Target Benefit Plans
The Ontario government previously announced the launch of consultations on proposed regulations related to the implementation of a permanent legislative framework for target benefit multi-employer pension plans (MEPPs) in the province. The permanent framework would replace temporary funding regulations for Specified Multi-Employer Pension Plans (SOMEPPs) set to expire in 2024. The proposed framework will replace…
Bill C-228 Offering Pension Protection in Bankruptcy Receives Royal Assent
On April 27, 2023, Bill C-228, the Pension Protection Act, received Royal Assent and is now law. As a result, pension plan deficits will be required to be paid in priority to most other creditors, including secured creditors, during bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings. In this FTR Now we consider this development and its implications for…
Ontario Announces Deadline for Employers to Apply for Paid IDEL Reimbursement
As we reported previously, paid infectious disease emergency leave (Paid IDEL) ended on March 31, 2023. On April 28, 2023, the Ontario government updated its guidelines regarding when eligible employers can apply for reimbursement payments.