September 26, 2018
Legislation watch: Three bills that may affect you
Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) is tracking the progress of new legislation to ensure business owners and employees get the latest information before these new rules are enacted.
Set to take effect October 17, 2018, Bill C-45 the federal Cannabis Act, legalizes the recreational use of marijuana. This could have a dramatic impact on health and safety in the workplace. "We're also keeping an eye on Bill C-65, the federal Harassment and Violence Act, a ground breaking bill that will have implications for federal workplaces," says Jaskaren Randhawa, WSPS' Research Program Coordinator, "as well as Schedule 5 of Ontario Bill 18, which switches responsibility for the costs of injuries to temp workers to the employer."
Bill C-45 cannabis laws, both federal and provincial, come into force on October 17, 2018. An amendment to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 (Bill 174), prohibits the smoking and ingestion of cannabis in workplaces. This amendment aligns the province with the federal.
Bill 174 requires employers to post signs and notify employees of the act. It also amends the Ontario Highway Traffic Act to prohibit the smoking of cannabis in company vehicles (inside and outside the workplace). This prohibition applies to everyone, including employees who have been prescribed medical marijuana.
If you haven't already done so, review both the federal and provincial legislation, update your hazard assessments to include the potential for impairment, and create new policies and programs around substance abuse in the workplace.
Bill C-65, the federal Harassment and Violence Act, is now in consultation after passing third reading. Before the federal government enacts this bill on workplace harassment and violence, it is consulting Canadians on the proposed framework. The bill aims to strengthen the law by proposing, among other things, that workplace programs and policies include measures to prevent sexual harassment and violence, and recognize the impact of psychological injuries and illness arising from violence and harassment. The consultation ends Oct. 5, and the bill is expected to become law in fall 2019.
Proclaimed on April 6, 2018, Schedule 5 of Bill 18 attributes temporary workers' injury and accident costs, which are currently paid by temporary help agencies, to employers. This could lead to higher or lower WSIB premiums for employers. The bill is not yet in force.
For more resources, and to stay on top of health and safety legislation, subscribe to the WSPS Legislation Tracker.
Set to take effect October 17, 2018, Bill C-45 the federal Cannabis Act, legalizes the recreational use of marijuana. This could have a dramatic impact on health and safety in the workplace. "We're also keeping an eye on Bill C-65, the federal Harassment and Violence Act, a ground breaking bill that will have implications for federal workplaces," says Jaskaren Randhawa, WSPS' Research Program Coordinator, "as well as Schedule 5 of Ontario Bill 18, which switches responsibility for the costs of injuries to temp workers to the employer."
Bill C-45 cannabis laws, both federal and provincial, come into force on October 17, 2018. An amendment to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 (Bill 174), prohibits the smoking and ingestion of cannabis in workplaces. This amendment aligns the province with the federal.
Bill 174 requires employers to post signs and notify employees of the act. It also amends the Ontario Highway Traffic Act to prohibit the smoking of cannabis in company vehicles (inside and outside the workplace). This prohibition applies to everyone, including employees who have been prescribed medical marijuana.
If you haven't already done so, review both the federal and provincial legislation, update your hazard assessments to include the potential for impairment, and create new policies and programs around substance abuse in the workplace.
Bill C-65, the federal Harassment and Violence Act, is now in consultation after passing third reading. Before the federal government enacts this bill on workplace harassment and violence, it is consulting Canadians on the proposed framework. The bill aims to strengthen the law by proposing, among other things, that workplace programs and policies include measures to prevent sexual harassment and violence, and recognize the impact of psychological injuries and illness arising from violence and harassment. The consultation ends Oct. 5, and the bill is expected to become law in fall 2019.
Proclaimed on April 6, 2018, Schedule 5 of Bill 18 attributes temporary workers' injury and accident costs, which are currently paid by temporary help agencies, to employers. This could lead to higher or lower WSIB premiums for employers. The bill is not yet in force.
For more resources, and to stay on top of health and safety legislation, subscribe to the WSPS Legislation Tracker.