Are Non-Compete Agreements Allowed in Ontario?

When searching for a job, individuals may turn to a temporary help agency or a recruiter for help. A temporary help agency is defined in the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”), as an “employer that employs persons for the purpose of assigning them to perform work on a temporary basis for clients of the employer”. …

If an employer is unable to provide work for an employee but doesn’t want to lose the employee long-term, the employer can lay the employee off for a short period of time in a “temporary lay-off”. An employee who is part of a temporary lay-off will return back to their place of employment after the …

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (“OHSA”) addresses the rights and responsibilities of different parties in the workplace, outlines how workplace hazards should be dealt with, and provides enforcement mechanisms for parties that do not comply with the rules. What are the Responsibilities of Employers Under the OHSA? Under the OHSA, an employer must take …

Not all workers are considered employees. Sometimes, the relationship between a worker and the person who is requesting that the work be done is just one of contract, not of employment. In the Ontario, the rules that provide minimum protections for employees are contained in the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”). The text of the …

In Ontario, there are a number of measures to ensure protection of workers’ rights. In the event that workers exercise their rights, there are statutory measures that prohibit employers from punishing workers. These measures aim to ensure that workers not only have rights but are able to freely exercise them. Workers’ rights are granted under …

What is Pay Equity? Ontario’s Pay Equity Act states that the purpose of the act is to “redress systemic gender discrimination in compensation for work performed by employees in female job classes.” What does that mean, and how does it differ from the rules on “equal pay for equal work” that are found in the …

Think about preparing for a shift at work. The process of getting ready and going to work may involve putting on a uniform, driving or taking public transportation, styling your hair to look presentable, and any number of other tasks. If you were to get prepared to work, show up at work, and get sent …

On March 21, 2024, Ontario’s Bill 149, Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 received Royal Assent. Royal Assent is the last step in the process of how a bill becomes law in Ontario. What Statutes Does Bill 149 Impact? Bill 149 makes changes to the following statutes: Changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 Bill …

As of October 1st, 2024, Ontario’s provincial minimum wage is set to increase from $16.55 per hour to $17.20 per hour. According to a news release from Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, 935,600 workers were at or below this rate in 2023. In Ontario, the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) outlines …

When an employee gets terminated without cause in Ontario, their employer is typically required to provide them with working notice of termination or pay in lieu of notice. How notice is calculated is based on whether the employee is entitled to common law notice, statutory notice under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), or some …