Update on COVID-19 for Employers: Ontario to Amend the ESA to Protect Jobs

Today, the Ontario government announced that it will be introducing legislation to amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) in light of COVID-19. In addition, the federal government announced, among other things, that the Canadian border will be closed to foreign nationals, with some exceptions.

Early Effective Date Announced for New Federal Parental Sharing Benefit

The government has announced that the new federal Parental Sharing Benefit will launch on March 17, 2019. As we previously reported, the 2018 federal Budget (Budget) proposed to establish an additional Parental Sharing Benefit with the goal of encouraging parents to share Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. The intended goal of this reform was to allow…

Federal Budget 2015

On April 21, 2015, the Minister of Finance tabled the 2015 Federal Budget, “Strong Leadership: A Balanced-Budget, Low-Tax Plan for Jobs, Growth and Security.” This FTR Now focuses on some of the key proposals that are of particular interest to employers, human resources professionals and pension plan administrators. These include: changes to registered retirement income…

Wage Loss Replacement Plans: Canada Revenue Agency Updates Tax Withholding Requirements

Effective January 1, 2015, the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) is changing the tax withholding requirements for benefits paid under a “wage loss replacement plan” (“WLRP”). The CRA will now require the withholding of income tax from benefit payments under a WLRP, even if the benefits are not subject to Canada Pension Plan (“CPP”) contributions or…

2015 EI Maximum Insurable Earnings Rate Set

On September 12, 2014, the Canada Employment Insurance Commission (“CEIC”) announced that the 2015 Employment Insurance (“EI”) Maximum Insurable Earnings rate will increase to $49,500 from $48,600 in 2014. Premiums will be reduced by $0.34 per $100 of insurable earnings for residents of Quebec covered under the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan. Accordingly, those residents will…