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ARTICLE · 23 NOVEMBER 2017

Ontario Passes Game Changing Amendments To Workplace Laws

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The amendments will begin to come into force as early as December 3, 2017.

CanadaEmployment and HR
Maciej Lipinski
Maciej Lipinski
Bethan Dinning
Bethan Dinning
Clifford Hart
Clifford Hart
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The Government of Ontario passed the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017 (the "Act") on November 22, 2017, and its amendments will begin to come into force as early as December 3, 2017. We originally wrote about the Act outlining the proposed changes on May 30, 2017.

The version of the Act passed by legislature was similar to the draft legislation updated in September 2017 following a round of summer consultations. However, new changes were also added following further consultations held early in November 2017, including (i) provision for Domestic or Sexual Violence Leave to include five paid days' leave; (ii) a new unpaid leave to care for critically ill adults; and (iii) new powers allowing the Ontario Labour Relations Board ("OLRB") to require employers to disclose additional employee contact information to unions recruiting members for certification.

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