2019 Changes – Ontario

With the Ford Government introducing Bill 47—the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018—to reverse, halt, or modify many of the changes from Bill 148.

• Changes to Minimum Wage remaining the same at $14.00.
• Bill 47 introduces three days of sick leave, three days of family responsibility leave, and two days of bereavement leave. Entitlement to these new leaves would begin after being employed with an organization for two weeks.
• Employers will be able to pay different wage rates based on employment status. It’s important not to confuse employment status with any protected grounds, such as race, colour, age, or gender, for example. Basing pay differences on these grounds has been and will still be illegal regardless.
• Under Bill 47, employers would be obligated to pay employees who regularly work more than three hours a minimum of three hours’ pay when their shift is cut short, if the employee is available for longer. The three-hour rule does not apply if the employer is unable to provide work because of unforeseen events, such as fire, power failure, or similar events beyond the company’s control.
•  The changes to protected leaves are largely untouched. Leaves such as pregnancy leave, parental leave, family medical leave, critical illness leave, child death leave, crime-related child disappearance leave, and domestic or sexual violence leave are unchanged.
• Vacation pay, leave entitlement and overtime calculations remain unchanged.

Employers 2020 Focus should be on:

• Health and wellness in the workplace. Mental health and accommodation for employees with medical and abilities concerns.
• Ontario will reward its safest employers for excellence in occupational health and safety as part of a new program, Supporting Ontario’s Safe Employers. It will formally recognize employers who successfully implement health and safety programs in their workplaces and provide financial rewards in the form of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) rebates over a three-year period.
• The WSIB is launching Health and Safety Excellence, a new program that will promote continual health and safety improvement in Ontario workplaces. The program will encourage employers without an existing health and safety program to develop one.

Opportunities for Employers

• Government grants and subsidies: Participate in programs that subsidize employment for Canadians and foster business growth. The Summer jobs program (application opens in January 2020), Youth employment program (ages 15-30 years), Apprenticeship programs, Co-op programs, Internships, New Immigrant training programs.
• Update Company policies and programs. Invest in Recruitment initiatives to hire the right fit (candidates with positive attitude and willingness to learn and grow.)
• Encourage participation and employee engagement in workplace activities, events, teams.
• Strive for positive employee relations starting with open communication.

“Every good conversation starts with listening.” – Tom Haak