Summary
As a consequence of Ontario's shifting economic landscape,
on November 27, 2017, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act,
2017 (Bill 148) received royal assent and came into force. The
Act contains numerous amendments to the Employment Standards
Act (the "ESA"). These
changes, some of which are already in effect, will require
employers to revise both employment policies and compensation
practices to bring them in line with the new rules. This Update is
restricted to immediate action items concerning the ESA,
that employers should alert themselves to as soon as possible.
Employers should already be reviewing their employment policies
and compensation practices to ensure a smooth transition to the new
standards and to how the changes impact their rights and
responsibilities. It is especially important to educate management
on these new changes to ensure that employee rights and
entitlements are carefully adhered to while employers are in the
process of updating
