An arbitrator has ruled Public Health Sudbury violated the Ontario Human Rights Code prohibition against discrimination on the basis of creed when it terminated a nurse who refused a coronavirus vaccination because it was against her religious beliefs. “The decision is significant because the arbitrator, Robert Herman, is well-respected and his reasoning will draw the […]
The Netherlands is making remote working a legal right for its citizens. On July 5, the Dutch bicameral parliament’s lower house passed legislation that forces employers to consider employee requests to work from home as long as their professions allow for it, according to a report by Bloomberg. If the legislation, which is set to go […]
Employers can help employees achieve an optimal work-life balance by embedding a right-to-disconnect policy into their overall business practices, says Lidia Pawlikowski, associate vice-president of Hub International Ltd. Last month, Ontario’s right-to-disconnect legislation took effect, requiring employers with 25 or more workers to have a written policy for employees to disconnect from their job at […]
Seattle’s city council unanimously approved a measure that pushes app-based companies like food delivery services to improve wages and other working conditions for gig workers. Among other things, the legislation would ensure app-based workers are paid minimum wage plus expenses and tips. The rates for workers at companies such as DoorDash Inc., Grubhub Inc. and […]
An article on how Scotiabank is supporting employee financial well-being was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. Scotiabank supporting employee financial well-being with pension info sessions 2. Expert panel: The future of work is flexible, prioritizes employee mental health 3. Canadian pension funds calling […]
Ontario’s right-to-disconnect legislation takes effect today, requiring employers to have a written policy about employees disconnecting from their job at the end of the workday. The legislation — which pertains to employers with 25 or more workers — passed last November and was introduced by the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario as part of the […]
Alberta’s government is proposing an amendment to provincial labour legislation that would extend bereavement leave to parents who’ve experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth. The proposed amendments would expand access to any employee who would’ve been a parent, including biological parents, adoptive parents and surrogates, according to a press release. While employees won’t be required to […]
A story that took an in-depth look at the federal government’s 2022 budget proposals and their potential impacts on employers and employees was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com over the last week. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: What’s in the federal budget for employers, employees? Physical health, work-life balance and […]
Raising the minimum wage to $14 per hour in 2018 reduced the racialized wage gap, particularly for women, according to a new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Amid rising employment, the study showed the estimated increases — on an hourly basis — for Black women (4.9 per cent) and other racialized women (4.7 per […]
A story about the federal government considering whether to include booster shots in the next version of the coronavirus vaccine mandate for workers was the most read story of the week on BenefitsCanada.com. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: Feds consider definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ in review of federal worker mandate […]