Federal Government Adds “Gender Identity” And “Gender Expression” to Canadian...
On June 19, 2017, five years after “gender identity” and “gender expression” were added as protected grounds of discrimination in Ontario’s Human Rights Code, the Federal government has added “gender...
View ArticleEmployees Now Able to Sue for Workplace Harassment
We recently wrote about new requirements for employers to implement comprehensive policies, programs, and investigative procedures to address workplace harassment under the Occupational Health and...
View ArticleBill 148: Standing Committee Meeting Signals Changes to ESA & LRA Amendments
In a recent blog post, we wrote about Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act which seeks to amend Ontario’s existing employment standards and labour relations legislation. Since then, Bill 148 has...
View ArticleBill 148: Update on Key Changes
Ontario’s Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, continues to move through the legislative process. On September 12, 2017, the Second Reading of Bill 148 commenced. To bring you up to speed...
View ArticleMinimum Wage Update
On October 1, 2017 the minimum wage increased in Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland & Labrador, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. These changes are the most recent in a string of wage hikes across Canada as...
View ArticleAlberta Court of Appeal Weighs in on Evidence Supporting Random Testing
In 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that, before employees in safety sensitive positions can be subjected to random drug and alcohol testing, it must be established that there is a general...
View ArticleOntario Legislature Passes Bill 148: Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017
Ontario’s Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (“Bill 148”) passed its third reading on November 22, 2017, confirming that many significant changes to Ontario’s labour and employment legislation are...
View ArticleBill 148 Receives Royal Assent: Implementation Schedule
The Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 received royal assent on November 27, 2017. Thus, new requirements will come into force according to the following timeline: Changes to the Employment...
View ArticleAccessibility Compliance Reports Due by End of Year
By December 31, 2017, Ontario employers with 20 or more employees must file accessibility compliance reports to confirm that accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with...
View ArticleTop 10 Canadian Labour & Employment Law Developments of 2017
To ring in the New Year, we highlight the ten most significant developments in Canadian labour and employment law in 2017: Supreme Court of Canada gives an expansive interpretation of workplace...
View ArticleAlberta’s New Employment Standards
In 2017, the Alberta legislature passed comprehensive amendments to the province’s labour and employment legislation. These changes were enacted through: Bill 17: the Fair and Family-friendly...
View ArticleBudget 2018: New Parental Leave Benefit & Pay Equity Regime
The Government of Canada released its 2018 budget plan on February 27, 2018, entitled “Equality and Growth”. The budget plan proposes various initiatives aimed at improving women’s equality in the...
View ArticleCard-Based Certification and Other Key Changes to Labour Relations in Alberta
In this second article in our three-part series highlighting recent changes to Alberta’s labour and employment legislation, we focus on changes to Alberta’s labour relations regime. As a result of the...
View ArticleOntario Introducing New Pay Transparency Legislation
The government of Ontario announced today that it will introduce new legislation to require certain employers to track and publish their compensation information. The proposed legislation is part of...
View ArticleOntario Unveils Pay Transparency Legislation
Last week, the Ontario government announced its intention to introduce pay transparency legislation – see our article on the announcement here. Bill 203, the Pay Transparency Act, 2018 has now been...
View ArticleAlberta Strengthens Workplace Safety Legislation
This is the final article in our three-part series on recent changes to Alberta’s labour and employment legislation. Here we outline changes to Alberta’s occupational health and safety (“OHS”) and...
View ArticleCompliance Check: Do Your Pay Rates Comply with Bill 148?
On April 1, 2018, employers in Ontario will be subject to the new equal pay provisions under the Employment Standards Act (“ESA”) brought in by Bill 148. As a general rule, employers can no longer...
View ArticlePay Transparency Obligations Coming But Not Until January 1, 2019
The Ontario government has passed Bill 3, Pay Transparency Act, 2018. The Act imposes requirements on employers to promote equality of compensation between men and women, and to increase the...
View ArticleOntario Reverts Back to Previous Public Holiday Pay Calculation (For Now)
The Ontario Government is abandoning its current method for calculating public holiday pay which came into effect under the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (“Bill 148”). Employers will need to...
View ArticleTime Off to Vote: Employee Rights in Ontario on Election Day
Ontario’s provincial election is on Thursday, June 7, 2018. Under Ontario’s Election Act, employees who are qualified to vote are entitled to three consecutive hours of time off to vote during polling...
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