On April 1, 2025, the Government of Ontario announced that the general minimum wage will increase from $17.20 per hour to $17.60 per hour effective October 1, 2025. This change applies to most employees but not all. Some exceptions include: Students under the age of 18 who work 28 hour or less per week while...
While we always hate to be the bearer of bad news – it seems the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has, once again, elected to make life more difficult for Ontario employers by confirming a previous Court’s approach to the enforceability of termination provisions. In the recent decision of Baker v. Van Dolder’s Home Team...
In an effort to assist employers navigate the current and possible future U.S. tariffs, the federal government announced on March 7, 2025 special measures to the Employment Insurance (EI) Work-Sharing Program. Special measures for the Work-Sharing Program are in effect from March 7, 2025 until March 6, 2026. As a reminder, the Work-Sharing Program may...
Further to our e-Learning yesterday, progressive discipline is an established system where the severity of the consequences increases with each infraction of workplace rules, policies, procedures or standards. Typical “progression” is as follows: Verbal warning Written warning Suspension (with or without pay) Termination Progressive discipline should be applied in response to all forms of employee...
In December, Ontario’s Working for Workers Six Act, 2024 (Bill 229) received Royal Assent and we’ve outlined below the key legislative changes of interest to Ontario employers: Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) The amendments introduce two new unpaid leaves under the ESA: 1. Long-Term Illness Leave – Effective June 19, 2025 An employee who has...
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called a snap election, tentatively scheduled to take place on February 27, 2025. What do employers need to know about the rights an employee has during an election in Ontario? The Election Act outlines the entitlements of employees during an election in Ontario. The most notable of these entitlements is...
As we move into 2025, we’ve highlighted below some recent and important legal decisions in employment law comparing and contrasting Alberta and Ontario decisions. ALBERTA: In the case of Singh v. Clark Builders, 2025 ABKB 3 (CanLII), an Alberta court was dealing with a wrongful dismissal allegation from Mr. Singh who was employed by Clark...
Happy New Year! We hope that you all had a lovely holiday season. As we usher in the new year and return to post holiday to-do lists, this is a great opportunity to review your current Human Resources practices, policies and documents. Here are a few areas we recommend you focus on: Statutory Holidays: While...
Tis the season of celebrations! Hosting a staff holiday party is a great way of showing appreciation to employees, boosting morale, and celebrating year end. These celebrations can come in all shapes and sizes of fun, but they can also expose employers to liability, if not managed properly. Employer Liability As a general principle, an...
With the colder weather soon to arrive, many employers are preparing to hire seasonal workers for the winter. A recent decision regarding a seasonal worker serves as a reminder to employers that having the appropriate HR infrastructure in place can save employers from costly mistakes when hiring seasonal workers. In a recent decision, an employee...