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…

Changing Workplaces Review – Focus on Temporary Help Agencies and their Clients

For the past month, we have reported extensively on the Interim Report issued on July 27, 2016 by the Special Advisors undertaking the Changing Workplaces Review. Previous issues of the FTR Now have reported on potential changes to Personal Emergency Leave, the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA), and the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA)…

ESA Provisions Imposing Shared Liability for Temporary Help Agencies and Their Clients Coming into Force

On November 20, 2015, amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) which affect Ontario’s temporary help industry and its clients will come into force. The amendments were contained in Bill 18, Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014, which we previously discussed in our FTR Now of July 21, 2014, Ontario Reintroduces Legislation…

Newsflash: Ontario Government to Amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000

Yesterday, the Ontario Government introduced Bill 139, the Employment Standards Amendment Act (Temporary Help Agencies), 2008, and also announced related changes to the ESA regulations. These changes will affect any employer or organization that: (1) employs “elect to work” or casual employees; (2) is a temporary help agency; or (3) uses the services of a…

Government to Review the ESA “Elect To Work” Exemption and the Use of Temporary Help Agencies

On May 21, 2008, the Ontario Ministry of Labour released a consultation paper entitled A Consultation Paper on Work through Temporary Help Agencies. The paper is seeking input on a number of issues specifically related to Temporary Help Agencies, including: barriers to permanent employment (whether through fees or contractual restrictions); fees charged to workers by…