As you may have heard or read in our earlier blog, Ontario Introduces Employee-Friendly Legislation Which Includes Prohibition on Non-Competes, the government introduced Bill 27: Working for Workers Act, 2021 in late October...more
There are now three recent Ontario arbitration decisions that address whether an employer may require its unionized employees to be vaccinated. While directly relevant to unionized employers, given the lack of case law...more
Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) came into force on August 3, 2021. The Bill creates a new statutory holiday...more
The term Environmental, Social and Governance, or ESG, refers to a broad set of issues or criteria relating to corporate behaviour and performance that generally fall outside of the traditional financial performance...more
As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Ontario, Premier Ford announced on September 28, 2020, that Ontario "is in the second wave". As part of measures to flatten the curve during this second wave of COVID-19,...more
The Ontario government has extended the temporary relief measures under Ontario's Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) set out in O. Reg. 228/20: Infectious Disease Emergency Leave until January 2, 2021....more
Changes Announced on April 8, 2020 -
On April 8, 2020, the federal government disclosed updated eligibility and coverage information on its proposed Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), the preliminary details of which...more
As previously reported in our March 25, 2020 posting, in the circumstances of the current public health emergency caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus the Ontario Government issued a list of categories of essential...more
As an alternative to engaging in layoffs or reducing work-weeks (which we discuss in Employer's Guide to COVID-19—Managing Issues of Pay), an employer may consider applying for relief under the existing Canadian Work Sharing...more
On April 1, 2020, the federal government disclosed additional eligibility and coverage information on its proposed Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), the preliminary details of which were introduced in announcements made...more
On April 1, 2020, the Canadian government announced further details of the previously announced Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), including updated information about how applicants can apply for benefits. ...more
On March 25, 2020, the Canadian government announced the creation of a temporary program called the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to address the overwhelming number of Employment Insurance (EI) applications...more
The Ontario government has issued a list of categories of essential workplaces that are permitted to remain open, under the authority granted under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (Ontario), as the province...more
Ontario is ordering the mandatory closure of all non-essential workplaces to further contain the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This closure will be effective as of Tuesday, March 24 at 11:59 p.m. Premier...more
The Alberta Government has clarified that employees will be entitled to a 14-day leave that is unpaid if they are quarantined due to COVID-19. This retreats from a prior press release from Premier Jason Kenney on March 13,...more
Earlier this month, the Ontario Ministry of Labour released version 8.0 of the Employment Standards Poster. This release coincides with recent changes to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) under Bill 47, Making...more
On October 23, the Ontario Government introduced Bill 47, Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018 ("Bill 47"). The stated purpose of the legislation is to remove “the worst burdens that prevent Ontario businesses from...more
In November 2017, Ontario’s Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, received Royal Assent. While many changes to Ontario’s employment laws have already come into effect, others are just around the corner....more
In addition to significant changes to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) starting to take effect under Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, the Ontario Minister of Labour released version 7.0 of...more
On November 28, 2017, Ontario’s Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, received Royal Assent. While some major changes have already come into effect, others are just around the corner....more
In positive news for employers, in Styles v Alberta Investment Management Corporation, 2017 ABCA 1 [Styles], the Alberta Court of Appeal (ABCA) affirmed that an employee who does not meet a clear and well drafted condition of...more