New legislation in Ontario introduces a first-in-Canada requirement for employers to prepare “disconnect from work” policies for their employees. It also creates a novel prohibition on non-competition provisions in employment agreements.
On December 2, 2021 Bill 27, Working for Workers Act, 2021, (“Bill 27”) received royal assent, passing into law several amendments
The Act to amend the Act respecting labour standards and other legislative provisions (the bill) was tabled by the liberal government at the National Assembly at the end of March. Several provisions of this bill will have an impact on the businesses of personnel placement agencies. Here is our take on these issues.
Simply put, in addition to establishing the principle that agency employees may not be remunerated at a lower rate of wage than that granted to the employees of the client enterprise, the bill requires personnel placement agencies and recruitment agencies for temporary foreign workers to hold a licence and provides for the implementation of regulations concerning such agencies. Enterprises that retain the services of such an agency that does not hold a licence will be liable to a penal sanction. In addition, personnel placement agencies and the client enterprises that retain their services will from now on be solidarily liable to an employee for the pecuniary obligations fixed by the Act respecting labour standards.