Source: www.hcamag.com
Latest amendments to Working for Workers Act ‘put more teeth’ into Ontario legislation
The latest iteration of Ontario’s Working for Worker’s Act was passed on Oct. 26, expanding on “worker-friendly” laws already put in place by earlier bills adopted in 2021 and 2022. While not significantly different, the new amendments “put more teeth” into the existing legislation, according to one expert.
HRD spoke with Andrew Shaw, partner at Baker & McKenzie LLP in Toronto, about the Act as it stands now, and the main takeaways for employers and HR.
The most significant piece of the new legislation is the requirement for employers to include remote workers in their employee count in the case of mass terminations in Ontario, he said.
The new law expands on what is defined as an employer’s “establishment” under the Employment Standards Act of 2000 (ESA), to include the homes of employees who work remotely. This means remote workers must now be counted when employers are assessing mass terminations.