UPCOMING CANADIAN FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL EMPLOYER COMPLIANCE CHANGES FOR 2018
Although NOTO, as well as many other organizations representing businesses across Ontario and Canada, have stressed opposition to some of these changes, Bill 148 has passed and is moving forward. Here is an overview of the new employer compliance changes that will come into effect in upcoming months.
ONTARIO MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE
Effective January 1, 2018, Ontario’s minimum wage will increase from $11.60 to $14.00. For more information on minimum wage changes and for a list of the special wages that liquor servers, students as well as fishing and hunting guides fall under, please visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/minimum-wage-increase#section-1
ONTARIO – FAIR WORKPLACES, BETTER JOBS ACT 2017 – EFFECTIVE– JANUARY 1, 2018
Ontario passed Bill 148 on Nov 22, 2017, which amends the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) and the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (LRA), updating legislation that sets minimum employee protections and entitlements.
Areas of amendment include holidays, vacations, overtime, and leaves as well as minimum wage. The proposed changes were previously sent by email to you on Nov. 20, 2017.
There were two additional changes included in the final bill:
- Ontario will be the first province to require combined pregnancy and parental protected leaves of 18 months (aligning with the new federal EI benefit option, available for births after December 3, 2017)
- New Domestic Violence leave will include 5 paid days (amended Nov 17, 2017)
The Ontario Ministry of Labour has confirmed that they are preparing guidance and interpretation materials. In the interim, they are referring employers to the text of the Bill:
Bill 148
We have found a summary of the changes that is much more helpful at the following link:
https://news.ontario.ca/mol/en/2017/11/modernizing-ontarios-labour-laws-to-create-fairness-and-opportunity-the-fair-workplaces-better-jobs.html
NOTO will continue to present the concerns of our members as these new regulations unfold. We will also ensure that other political parties are clear on our concerns as the Provincial elections grow nearer.
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