Bill to increase Minimum Wage hotly debated in Ontario Legislature Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, is in the midst of being debated by members of the Ontario Legislature. The Bill proposes changes to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, which include an increase of the minimum wage to $14 per hour by January 1st, 2018 and again to $15 per hour by January 1st, 2019. Political parties are split over the effect the changes will have on businesses and workers. One of the Bill’s sponsors, Hon. Peter Milczyn, said: “the reality is that one out of 10 workers in our province earns the current minimum wage of $11.40. Meanwhile, three out of 10 workers earn less than $15 an hour. This includes millions of people, many of whom are supporting a family, making car payments, trying to save for an education and paying their daily bills. They work very hard every day to try to get ahead, but they feel they’ve been left behind. Increasing the minimum wage will make a real difference in their lives”. Opposition MPP Bill Walker, spoke to the Bill, saying: “the business community is certainly not suggesting, and we’re not supporting, that people don’t need a good living wage. Certainly, at the end of the day, we support a $15 minimum wage. But it has to be done in a timely manner. It has to give people the ability to adjust their business. At the end of the day, the fiscal accountability officer has just come out with a report suggesting that there could be 50,000 jobs lost because of the speed at which they’re going to implement this. So this isn’t just us, Mr. Speaker. This is a third-party resource of this Legislature that is suggesting that.” In any case, the effects of the new rules, if passed, on both employers and employees will be profound. Until then, we will have to wait to see how the changes take shape in their final form. If you are in need of a labour or employment lawyer, please visit our employment page and contact one of our lawyers today. For any other legal services or inquiries, please contact Devry Smith Frank LLP directly at 416-449-1400 or visit our website for more information. By: Stuart Clark, Student-at-Law “This article is intended to inform. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Employment LawOctober 18, 2017June 18, 2020
Minimum Wage Embedded In New Law By: Nicolas Di Nardo With the new minimum wage increase set to become $15 an hour in 2019, it would require the Progressive Conservatives to change labour laws in order to get rid of it. The new wage increase will take effect six months after the June 2018 election. The Liberals have embedded it in the new Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act which is still to be studied by all-parties this summer, which is expected to pass in the fall. For more information on the details of this Act, please read our previous posts: Is A $15 Minimum Wage, More Unionization and a Minimum 3 Week Vacation On the Horizon? Update: Ontario Liberals Announce Changes to Labour Law—And a $15 Minimum Wage The Act looks to increase minimum wage to $14 an hour on January 1st, and to $15 an hour on January 1, 2019. It is expected that the Liberals will campaign on this Act as well as the proposed pharmacare plan which is also going to launch on January 1st. Devry Smith Frank LLP is a full service law firm located in Don Mills. If you require representation or have any questions, please contact Devry Smith Frank LLP today. You may contact one of the many experienced lawyers on our website or call us directly at 416-449-1400. “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Employment Law, Labour LawJune 26, 2017June 22, 2020
Hockey Union alleges the OHL broke Labour Laws By: Nicolas Di Nardo Back in 2014, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) over wages. It claimed the league was breaching minimum wage laws. In summary, they are seeking $180 million in outstanding wages, vacation, holiday and overtime pay and employer contributions for thousands of players between 2012 and 2014. It is still ongoing and has had some recent developments. Now, the CHLPA has filed with the Ontario Labour Relations Board. The Canadian Hockey League Players’ Association (CHLPA) attempted to unionize its major junior players within the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) promising minimum wage payment. This is a result of the OHL commissioner stating that the players are not entitled to minimum wage because they are defined as “amateur athletes”, however, union officials say that provincial labour laws should apply to for-profit hockey clubs, seeing as they generate profit from the work of their players. Currently, the players within the OHL do get paid, however, it is in the form of stipends (less than $500 a month) with benefits such as lodging, food and gear, but have never been paid in accordance with minimum wage legislation. There are a number of exhibits before the court, such as administrative memos to clubs advising them to not notify the CRA, and instructing teams to disregard the CRA’s classification of OHL players as employees. Additional exhibits also include a number of player contracts with changes to the language stating the relationship between players and their clubs. The current application to the labour board requests that the CHLPA become the bargaining agent for players in the OHL, or damages of $175,000 for union drive expenses. For more information on this, please click here to read the original article. Devry Smith Frank LLP is a full service law firm that has a very experienced group of lawyers within our employee and labour law groups. If you are in need of representation, please contact one of our lawyers today or call us directly at 416-449-1400. “This article is intended to inform and entertain. Its content does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon by readers as such. If you require legal assistance, please see a lawyer. Each case is unique and a lawyer with good training and sound judgment can provide you with advice tailored to your specific situation and needs.” By Fauzan SiddiquiBlog, Employment Law, Labour LawJune 21, 2017June 22, 2020
