January 15, 2015
Bill 18 will affect LO members
The Ontario Government has passed Bill 18, which will have an impact on Landscape Ontario members.
The province has dubbed the new legislation as the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014. The province says the Act is designed to increase protections for vulnerable workers.
Included with the Act are items such as tying future minimum wage increases to the Ontario Consumer Price Index. This will be announced by April of each year, and come into effect on Oct.1. Other issues under the Act, include:
The province has dubbed the new legislation as the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act, 2014. The province says the Act is designed to increase protections for vulnerable workers.
Included with the Act are items such as tying future minimum wage increases to the Ontario Consumer Price Index. This will be announced by April of each year, and come into effect on Oct.1. Other issues under the Act, include:
- Ensuring Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) coverage for unpaid co-op students and other unpaid learners, which will give them protection under the OHSA, such as the right to know about workplace hazards and the right to refuse unsafe work.
- Eliminating the $10,000 cap on the recovery of unpaid wages through Ministry of Labour orders to pay, and increasing the period of recovery to two years.
- Expanding employment protections to cover all foreign employees who come to Ontario under an immigration or foreign temporary employee program.
- Holding temporary help agencies and their employer clients accountable for certain employment standards violations, such as failure to pay regular wages, overtime pay, and public holiday entitlements.