The federal government has published its report on pay equity after consulting with some 40 stakeholders in moving forward with pay equity legislation. Drawing on the feedback of employer and employee representatives, as well as organizations focused on proactive pay equity in federally regulated workplaces, the report looks at four topics: the new pay equity legislation’s coverage; implementing pay equity; maintaining […]
The Ontario government introduced a new act on Tuesday that, if passed, would repeal or change much of the employment laws established by the previous government in Bill 148. The provincial government intends to scrap the plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, maintaining it at $14 until 2020 and then tying future increases to inflation. […]
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons is calling out the federal government, saying it’s unfair the pensions of Sears Holding Corp.’s American employees will be protected by the U.S.’s Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. while Canadian employees will see benefits cuts. The Canadian operation has been under court-ordered liquidation since June 2017, and Ontario’s superintendent of financial services ordered […]
Nova Scotia first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder will have an easier time accessing workers’ compensation benefits beginning Oct. 26. The province has eliminated a requirement that those in emergency response occupations must prove that a PTSD diagnosis is work-related. The updated Workers’ Compensation Act regulations, first unveiled last year, will clarify who is eligible […]
Earlier this month, Ontario premier Doug Ford announced in the provincial legislature that he would be axing Bill 148, an assortment of changes to the Employment Standards Act that the former Liberals put in place this year. Highlights of the bill included a raise to the minimum wage; a mandate of equal pay for equal work; personal emergency […]
Universal pharmacare is an idea that has been kicking around for decades in Canada. Yet despite numerous studies calling for a universal single-payer pharmacare program to ensure all Canadians have access to prescription drugs, the country’s drug system remains a patchwork of public and private plans. This spring, the House of Commons’ standing committee on […]
New regulations in New Brunswick providing paid leave for victims of domestic, intimate partner or sexual violence took effect on Sept. 1. The new regulations allow up to 10 days of leave to be used intermittently or continuously, and up to 16 weeks to be used in one continuous period, of which the first five days will […]
The federal government’s plan to increasingly regulate pharmaceutical costs could mean Canadians with rare diseases may lose access to new innovative drug treatments, according to a new study by the Fraser Institute. In 2019, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board is planning to use new rules for establishing drug prices with the goal of lowering costs. “Drugs for […]
On Oct. 17, 2018, it will be legal to purchase and consume recreational cannabis in Canada. In a recent survey of Mercer’s employer clients and Canadian employees, we found 78 per cent of respondents believe the legalization of recreational cannabis is a concern for human resources leaders. In addition, nearly half (45 per cent) of respondents believe it’s a concern for […]
Even as regulators move to expand decumulation options for Canadians in defined contribution pension plans, the degree to which employers will actually adopt the solutions available, including variable benefits, remains an open question. Various factors fuel the conundrum, but exposure to liability and litigation risk loom as perhaps the most daunting obstacles. Proponents of safe […]