Following the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario’s decision in a landmark age discrimination case last year, former high school teacher Steve Talos has reached a settlement with the Grand Erie District School Board. Though Ontario abolished mandatory retirement in 2006, it still allowed employers to terminate benefits plans for workers age 65 and over. In […]
In response to months of pressure from employees, Google Inc. said last week it will no longer require employees to settle disputes with the company through arbitration. The change, which will take effect March 21, 2019, will apply to current and future employees. Last year, Google said it would end mandatory arbitration — which requires employees […]
The federal government has established an independent expert panel to study the complex workplace issues facing Canadian employers and employees. The nature of work is changing and so are the needs of Canadian workers, noted a press release, and a modern set of federal labour standards that reflect these changes will better protect Canadian workers, helping set […]
Many of the changes that were introduced to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act in January 2018 were short-lived, as the province’s new government elected in June last year is rolling out its own amendments. With the new changes taking effect on Jan. 1, 2019, here’s a summary of the key ways Bill 47 is changing the previous […]
With a baby due in March, Ashley Bangsund and her partner Nick Goodall didn’t think twice about whether to take the traditional 12 months of employment insurance parental benefits or opt for the new 18-month extended version introduced by the federal government in December 2017. “The longer leave feels too long to go with a […]
In 2018, several significant employment and labour law changes were rolled out across Canada, especially in Ontario, which saw a change of government in June. “These changes will no doubt have an important impact on your workplace,” said Chelsea Rasmussen, an employment and labour law associate at Dentons LLP, speaking during a webinar hosted by the law firm last […]
The Northwest Territories is considering adding domestic violence leave legislation to its Employment Standards Act. “We have not yet determined what a potential domestic violence leave provision might include,” says Cherish Winsor, senior communications advisor at the government of the Northwest Territories. “The federal government’s plans to introduce changes to leave provisions under the Canada Labour Code […]
In the first year since the federal government made changes to employment insurance benefits aimed at helping caregivers and new parents, it has received more than 8,300 caregiving benefits claims. The government expects that number to grow, estimating about 22,000 claims for caregiving benefits by fall 2019. It also found that, as of September 2018, more […]
The Trudeau government is seeking to give federally regulated workers more paid personal leave days in a proposal that arrives as Ontario moves to cut workers’ time-off entitlements. Federal budget legislation, if passed, would let workers take up to five days off each calendar year for reasons such as the care of relatives, children’s educations […]
As part of the Ontario government’s new bill amending the Employment Standards Act, it’s bringing back the option for employers to request a medical note from employees taking sick leave, family responsibility leave or bereavement leave. As legislation currently stands, employers may require evidence classified as “reasonable in the circumstances” to prove an employee is eligible to […]