Ontario Updates Required For Workplace ESA Poster

Due to the changes to the expected changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), brought by Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, the Ministry of Labour has released a new version (7.0) of the ESA poster which is required to be posted by employers in an obvious and visible place in the workplace. This poster briefly summaries certain standards under the ESA and also directs readers to the MOL website to find out more information.

Below we have listed just some of the highlights of the new laws that have been put in place:

Minimum wage rises from $11.60 an hour to $14 on Jan. 1, 2018 then to $15 on Jan. 1, 2019
Lower minimum wage rates for liquor servers, students under 18, hunting and fishing guides will also rise along with the general minimum wage
Once an employee works for a company for five years, they will be entitled to three weeks of paid vacation
Parents whose children die will get unpaid leave of up to 104 weeks. It was previously only offered to parents when a child’s death was related to a crime
Casual, part-time, temporary and seasonal employees will be given the same pay as full-time employees for doing equal work
Personal emergency leave no longer only applies to workers at companies with 50 or more employees. All workers will get 10 days per year, two of them paid
Employees on call must be paid three hours at their regular pay rate
Companies that misclassify workers as “independent contractors” instead of employees in order to skirt labour law obligations would be subject to fines
The maximum fines under the Labour Relations Act will increase from $2,000 for individuals and $25,000 for organizations to $5,000 and $100,000
The maximum fine for employers who violate employment standards laws will be increased from $250, $500 and $1,000 for various violations to $350, $700 and $1,500. The government will publish the names of those who are fined
Employees can refuse shifts without repercussion if the employer gives them less than four days’ notice
Victims of domestic or sexual violence, or parents of children who have experienced or are threatened with it, will get five days of paid leave and 17 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave
Employers must pay three hours of wages if they cancel a shift with fewer than 48 hours’ notice, with weather-dependent work exempted

It is important to stay updated and know what your rights are under the law, please contact Monkhouse Law today for a free 30-minute consultation.

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Employment Lawyers at Monkhouse Law specialize in Employment Law, Human Rights Law, and Disability Insurance Law. We serve employees, independent contractors and employers, and strive to get optimal results for every client through skilled advocacy and research on each matter. We have successfully represented clients before all levels of court in Ontario, including the Superior Court, the Divisional Appeals Court, and the Court of Appeal as well as the Supreme Court of Canada.