The federal minister in charge of aid to the unemployed says jobless Canadians who refuse to get vaccinated may find themselves blocked from benefits so long as public health concerns remain top of mind. The Liberals have tacked conditions onto a suite of benefits payments saying none can go to workers who lose work or […]
The minister in charge of Canada’s federal social safety net for workers says the government is looking at removing rules that make it difficult for some to get their full parental leave as part of a review of the employment insurance system. Federal Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough says the issue’s particularly acute for new mothers because […]
Jan. 1 felt like Groundhog Day for all employees and employers paying into the Canada Pension Plan. Like last year, contributions went up again by more than originally planned. The reason again lies with the unique impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the labour market. The increase is part of a multi-year plan approved by provinces and […]
The Ontario government is raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour. “Ontario’s workers deserve a raise and today we’re delivering one,” said Premier Doug Ford in a statement. “There’s no better way to support hard-working Ontarians right now than raising the minimum wage.” Read: CFIB, Unifor clashing over proposed $15 federal minimum wage As of […]
Employers’ top concerns in 2021 included the coronavirus pandemic, vaccination policies, the impact of inflation on salaries, new employment legislation and plans for returning to the office, according to the most popular stories on BenefitsCanada.com. What can employers do if workers won’t get coronavirus vaccine? Unvaccinated employees may not be eligible for EI: feds Trudeau […]
The government is open to amending legislation that would provide 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers. Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan acknowledged that at least two provisions in the legislation, Bill C-3, could undermine the objective, which is to ensure ill workers don’t have to choose between going to work sick or staying home without […]
While it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for some employees these days, employers aiming to be inclusive during the holiday season and year-round can think beyond the Christian-centric calendar. Nora Jenkins Townson, the founder and principal of Bright + Early, has taken being inclusive one step further by giving staff at the human […]
Paid sick days for employees continues to be a hot topic as the coronavirus pandemic rages on, with the top two stories over the past week focusing on legislation that’s tackling the issue at the federal and provincial levels. Here are the five most popular news stories of the week: 1. B.C. giving workers five paid sick […]
The Ontario government is requiring employers with 25 or more employees to draft a right-to-disconnect policy. The legislation, which passed on Nov. 30 but is yet to receive royal assent, means employers will be required to establish a written policy about employees disconnecting from their job at the end of the workday. The Progressive Conservative Party of […]
With Ontario just passing right-to-disconnect legislation and Canada’s federal government seriously considering it, Portugal serves as a model that’s still working out some kinks. Under the country’s new law on working from home, employers can’t attempt to contact their staff outside working hours. They also must help staff pay for their home gas, electric and internet bills. And […]