On Wednesday, November 22, 2017, the Government of Ontario passed Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017. which now awaits Royal Assent. The passage of Bill 148 means that Ontario will see major changes to the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 and Ontario Labour Relations Act, 1995 in the new year. These changes include moving to a $14 minimum wage (followed by a subsequent increase to $15 on January 1, 2019), increased vacation entitlements, increased entitlement to parental leave, paid emergency leave, and equal pay for part-time, contract and temporary employees.

Our colleagues in Toronto recently addressed the significant changes in store for Ontario employers in their blog post BILL 148 PASSES (but not before a few last-minute changes were made).

If you have any questions about Bill 148 and how it will impact your workplace, please do not hesitate to contact us, Tim Lawson, Matthew Demeo or any lawyer in our Labour and Employment Law group.