WSIB Employer Premiums to Drop by 30% in 2019
Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Laurie Scott, announced Wednesday that the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (the “WSIB”) will be dropping employer premiums by 30% starting January 2019. The reductions result from the elimination of the WSIB’s unfunded liability, which reached a high of $14.2 billion in 2011 before being paid down. The WSIB’s unfunded liability […]
Court of Appeal Clarifies the Law Surrounding Mass Terminations
In a recent case, Wood v CTS of Canada Co., [Wood] the Ontario Court of Appeal clarified an employer’s obligations under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”) when engaging in mass terminations.
Unpaid Suspensions: Clarification on the Law
A recent decision from the Ontario Court of Appeal has refined the law on administrative suspensions and, particularly, when such a suspension constitutes a constructive dismissal. An administrative suspension can be an effective interim measure pending the results of an investigation into workplace misconduct, harassment or violence. However, employers do not have unfettered freedom to […]
Minimum Wage Raise Cancellation
In a September 14 op-ed in the Financial Post, Ontario’s new Minister of Labour, Laurie Scott, reaffirmed that the Progressive Conservative government would not be implementing the planned increase of Ontario’s minimum wage
When Separate is Not Equal: Ontario Human Rights Tribunal Finds Tennis League Discriminatory Based on Sex
A recent decision from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (“HRTO” or the “Tribunal”) held that the gender balancing provisions of a tennis club association discriminated against women in the provision of services by providing females with fewer opportunities to play in the association’s Mixed League. In Miller v InterCounty Tennis Association (“Miller”), three female […]
Public Consultation on Proposed Federal Regulatory Framework Addressing Harassment and Violence
The federal government has launched a public consultation on the proposed regulatory framework to be implemented in support of Bill C-65, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (harassment and violence), the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act and the Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 1. Bill C-65, tabled in November 2017, passed its […]
Medical Marijuana and the Workplace: When Employees can Medicate
Two recent cases out of Newfoundland add additional context to the question of whether and when employees may medicate with medicinal marijuana in the workplace.
Analyzing Entitlement to Personal Emergency Leave
Under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”), employers and employees cannot contract out of an ESA minimum entitlement.
HRTO Rules that Dismissal for Violation of Attendance Policy is Not Discriminatory
As most employers know, the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”) prohibits employers from discriminating against any person with respect to their employment
Federal Government Considering New Statutory Holiday in Canada
The Federal Government of Canada has announced plans to introduce a new statutory holiday in recognition of the hardship