On June 12, 2018 the Quebec government adopted the Act to
amend the Act respecting labour standards and other legislative
provisions ("Bill 176"). This legislation seeks
primarily to facilitate family-work balance, through a series of
measures.
However, Bill 176 also lays the groundwork for increased
regulation of personnel placement agencies. It provides that such
agencies will have to obtain a licence and that regulations
concerning them will be forthcoming. Penal sanctions are to be
imposed on enterprises that use the services of an agency not
holding a licence. In addition, Bill 176 provides that personnel
placement agencies and their client enterprises will henceforth be
solidarily liable towards the workers hired by the agency for the
pecuniary obligations specified in the Act respecting labour
standards (the "Act") and that such workers are to
receive the same wage as the employees of the client enterprise.
The legislation indicates that the necessary details
