Ontario boosts labor laws including $15/hr minimum wage increase

The province of Ontario reforms the labor laws including the increase of minimum wage to $15 an hour. The changes to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, Labour Relations Act and Occupational Health and Safety Act will be on a gradual basis. The current minimum wage in Ontario is $11.60 an hour will rise under the legislation to $14 an hour on January 01, 2018 and then will increase to $15 an hour coming in 2019.

The labor reforms put in place by the Liberals also include the following requirements:

• that employers pay part-time, casual and temporary employees the same rate as full-time employees for the same job;
• that employers must pay workers three hours’ wages for shifts canceled with less than 48 hours’ notice; and extending personal emergency leave to 10 days, including two paid, to all workers.

The plan has proved largely popular in government polling and with labor advocates, though it is controversial with businesses, who say the increase is too fast and will lead to job losses.

The government and some economists argue that the hike will have some positive impact on the economy, as minimum wage earners get more spending power.

Source:

CBC.CA

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