On March 21, 2024, Ontario’s Bill 149, Working for Workers Four Act, 2023 (Bill 149) received Royal Assent. Bill 149 amends several statutes including the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA), Digital Platform Workers’ Rights Act, 2022 (DPWRA), and Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, 2006…
Tag: Workplace Safety and Insurance Act
Ontario Introduces Bill 91, Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act, 2023 and Announces Additional Amendments to Reduce Red Tape
On April 3, 2023, the Ontario government announced a range of measures related to pensions and employment (amongst other matters) in the province. On the same day, the government introduced Bill 91, Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act, 2023 (Bill 91) to implement some of those measures. Bill 91 and the additional measures are of…
Ontario Expanding Presumptive Cancer Coverage for Firefighters to include Thyroid and Pancreatic Cancers
The Ontario government has announced it will be introducing regulatory amendments to expand the presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters to include thyroid and pancreatic cancers. This expanded coverage will be retroactive to January 1, 1960 and will be applicable to full-time, volunteer and part-time firefighters, firefighters employed by First Nations band councils, and fire investigators….
Beyond COVID-19: 2021 Year in Review – Cases and Legislation of Note
Employers and human resource professionals will undoubtedly remember 2021 as another year shaped by the pandemic. But … there were also legal developments in 2021 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.
WSIA Calculation for Premium Payable by Employers for 2021 Amended
On April 14, 2021, Bill 238, Workplace Safety and Insurance Amendment Act, 2021, received Royal Assent and came into force. Bill 238 amends the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) to add a calculation rate for the 2021 calendar year (or such later date as prescribed by regulation) for the Workplace Safety and Insurance…
Ministry Consults on Extending Mandatory WSIB Coverage to Personal Support Workers and Developmental Support Workers
The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (Ministry) is seeking input on whether mandatory coverage under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 should be extended to Personal Support Workers (PSWs) and Developmental Support Workers (DSWs) under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. Specifically, the Ministry has set out the following questions in…
The Latest Updates for School Boards Before the Summer
As the 2019 – 2020 school year draws to a close, it would be an understatement to say that the year did not go as expected. From the hurried transition to online learning to the ongoing adjustment to the “new normal” of synchronous learning, we know that our clients have successfully navigated unprecedented and difficult challenges – and that there will be more to come.
Employees Who Continue to Work from Home – Practical Considerations for Employers
As provinces begin to roll out reopening plans for non-essential businesses, the logistical challenges of implementing social distancing in some workplaces mean that many employees will continue to work from home for the foreseeable future. As companies consider which employees will be asked to return to the workplace, and when, the legal considerations and risks associated with work from home arrangements should be taken into account.
WSIB Schedule 1 Regulation Filed Further to New Rate Framework
In anticipation of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s new Rate Framework implementation date of January 1, 2020, the Ontario government filed Ontario Regulation 417/19 which amends O. Reg. 175/98 (General Regulation) made under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. O. Reg. 417/19 revokes and replaces Schedule 1 of the General Regulation, to reflect…
FTR Quarterly – Issue 15
In This Issue: Protection in the Face of Employee Fraud, Key Human Resources Decisions in in 2019 and Cases to Monitor in 2020 and more!