Bill 148 and the ESA – Changes are on the Horizon for Ontario Employers

On June 1, 2017, the Ontario government introduced Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (Bill 148), its highly anticipated response to the Final Report from the Changing Workplaces Review. If passed, Bill 148 would introduce a range of changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) and the Labour Relations Act, 1995…

Ontario Proposes Legislative Overhaul of Labour Relations Act, 1995 in Bill 148 – Are you Prepared?

The provincial government has wasted little time in responding to the Final Report of the Special Advisors under Ontario’s Changing Workplaces Review (Final Report). On June 1, 2017, the government introduced Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, legislation that if passed, will implement significant reforms to both the Employment Standards Act, 2000…

Changing Workplaces Review Final Report – Focus on Employment Standards

In this, our third update related to the Changing Workplaces Review Final Report (Final Report), we focus our discussion on the recommendations related to the Employment Standards Act, 2000. While many of the recommendations relate to proposed changes to specific standards, the Final Report contains a strong emphasis on compliance measures, comprised of both education…

Changing Workplaces Review Final Report – Focus on the Labour Relations Act, 1995

In this update related to the Final Report of the Special Advisors under Ontario’s Changing Workplaces Review (Final Report), we focus on the recommendations made by the Special Advisors regarding changes to the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA). While some of the key issues we identify in our discussion overlap with recommendations relating to the…

Changing Workplaces Review – Final Report Issued

Earlier today, the government issued the long-awaited final report from the Changing Workplaces Review, entitled An Agenda for Workplace Rights (Final Report), which was prepared by the government-appointed Special Advisors Mr. Justice John Murray and Mr. Michael Mitchell. The Special Advisors were mandated to consider the changing nature of the workplace, the causes behind those…

HR Professionals Now Publishes an Article by Allison MacIsaac on Accommodating the Use of Medical Marijuana in the Workplace

Hicks Morley’s Allison MacIsaac authored an article in HR Professional Now titled “Accommodating The Use of Medical Marijuana in the Workplace.” The article discusses the more prevalent use of medical marijuana and how employers are being encouraged to ensure they meet their legal obligations towards employees requiring its use. The article also discusses the employer’s obligation to accommodate the use of…