Bill 148 & ESA Update: What Employers Need To Know

 The Ontario government is continuing to move forward with proposed changes to the laws governing Ontario workplaces.

Bill 148 passes second reading

We first reported on Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 in our Employment Update in June 2017. Since that time, the Bill has passed second reading and is currently back before the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

For the most part, the significant changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the "ESA") contemplated by the previous version of Bill 148 remain intact. These include:

1. increases to the minimum wage;
2. restrictions on paying lower rates to part-time, temporary, seasonal or casual employees;