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ARTICLE · 06 APRIL 2023

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Employment Update: Ontario Introduces Bill 79, The Working For Workers Act, 2023

Blaney McMurtry LLP
Blaney McMurtry LLP
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On March 20, 2023, the Ontario Government announced Bill 79, the Working for Workers Act, 2023 ("Bill 79") expanding on various employee protections provided in the Working for Workers...

CanadaEmployment and HR
Christopher McClelland
Christopher McClelland
Sarah Mills
Sarah Mills
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On March 20, 2023, the Ontario Government announced Bill 79, the Working for Workers Act, 2023 ("Bill 79") expanding on various employee protections provided in the Working for Workers Acts, 2021 and 2022. If passed, the Bill would bring more changes to Ontario workplace legislation, including the Employment Standards Act, 2000 ("ESA"), the Occupational Health and Safety Act ("OHSA") and the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act, 2009 ("EPFNA"). We have highlighted some of the main amendments being proposed below.

AMENDMENTS TO THE ESA

Mass Terminations

Section 58 of the ESA provides for special rules where 50 or more employees are terminated within the same four-week period at an employer's "establishment." If passed, Bill 79 would expand the definition of "establishment" to include the homes of remote workers. This amendment would only apply to employees who perform work in their private residence and not at any other location where the employer

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