Proposed Changes To Employment In Ontario: Working For Workers Five Act, 2024

On May 6, 2024, the Ontario government introduced Bill 190, the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 ("Bill 190"), which is the fifth Bill in a series of legislative changes meant to strengthen workplace protections for employees.

Proposed changes include increased transparency requirements in the recruitment process, stricter penalties for violations of both the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and Occupational Health and Safety Act, expanded support for women in the workplace, and simplifying registration for internationally trained workers.

If passed, Bill 190 will create the following changes:

Strengthened Protections for Jobseekers and Employees

• Employers will be required to disclose in job postings whether the posting is for an existing vacancy and will be required to respond to applicants who have interviewed for a position (though the details of what this response must include remain to be determined).