Federal: Employment Information for New Employees August 16 2023

Employers are to provide new employees with a copy of the following information within 30 days of commencing employment. Employers must also provide employees with a written statement containing the following information related to their employment:

• the names of the parties to the employment relationship;
• the job title of the employee and a brief description of their duties and responsibilities;
• the address of the ordinary place of work;
• the date on which the employment commences;
• the term of the employment;
• the duration of the probationary period, if any;
• a description of the necessary qualifications for the position;
• a description of any required training for the position;
• the hours of work for the employee, including information on the calculation of those hours and rules regarding overtime hours;
• the rate of wages or salary and the rate of overtime pay;
• the frequency of paydays and the frequency of payment of any other remuneration;
• any mandatory deductions from wages; and
• information about how the employee can claim reimbursement of reasonable work-related expenses.

Source: Canada Labour Code

Fédéral : Renseignements sur l’emploi pour les nouveaux employés

Les employeurs doivent fournir aux nouveaux employés une copie des renseignements suivants dans les 30 jours suivant leur entrée en fonction. Les employeurs doivent également fournir aux employés une déclaration écrite contenant les renseignements suivants concernant leur emploi :

• les noms des parties à la relation d’emploi;
• le titre du poste de l’employé et une brève description de ses fonctions et de ses responsabilités;
• l’adresse du lieu de travail habituel;
• la date à laquelle débute l’emploi;
• la durée de l’emploi;
• la durée de la période probatoire, le cas échéant;
• une description des qualifications nécessaires pour le poste;
• une description de toute formation requise pour le poste;
• les heures de travail de l’employé, y compris les renseignements sur le calcul de ces heures et les règles relatives aux heures supplémentaires;
• le taux de salaire et le taux de rémunération des heures supplémentaires;
• la fréquence des jours de paie et la fréquence des paiements de toute autre rémunération;
• toute déduction obligatoire sur le salaire; et
• des renseignements sur la façon dont l’employé peut demander le remboursement des dépenses raisonnables liées au travail.

Source : Code canadien du travail

Accessible Canada Act – Upcoming Deadlines | Loi canadienne sur l’accessibilité – Échéances à venir April 12 2023

The Accessible Canada Act is a law passed in 2019 to make Canada barrier-free by January 1, 2040. A barrier is anything that prevents persons with disabilities from fully and equally participating in Canadian society. The Act includes requirements to create accessibility plans, feedback processes, and progress reports. 

Under this Act, federally regulated employers who had 100 or more employees in 2021 must comply with the new requirements of the Act and its regulations, by June 1, 2023.

Federally regulated employers who had between 10 and 99 employees in 2021, or who were established or became federally regulated in 2022, have until June 1, 2024, to comply with the Act's requirements.

Federally regulated employers who are established or become federally regulated in 2023 have until June 1, 2025, to comply with the Act.

Source: Government of Canada

La Loi canadienne sur l’accessibilité a été adoptée en 2019 afin d’éliminer les obstacles au Canada d’ici le 1^er janvier 2040. Un obstacle est tout ce qui empêche les personnes handicapées de participer complètement et également à la société canadienne. La loi comprend des exigences de création de plans d’accessibilité, de processus de rétroaction et de rapports d’étape.

En vertu de cette loi, les employeurs sous réglementation fédérale qui comptaient 100 employés ou plus en 2021 doivent respecter les nouvelles exigences de la loi et ses règlements d’ici le 1^er juin 2023.

Les employeurs sous réglementation fédérale qui comptaient entre 10 et 99 employés en 2021, ou qui ont été établis ou qui sont tombés sous réglementation fédérale en 2022, ont jusqu’au 1^er juin 2024 pour respecter les exigences de la loi.

Les employeurs sous réglementation fédérale qui ont été établis ou qui sont tombés sous réglementation fédérale en 2023 ont jusqu’au 1^er juin 2025 pour se conformer à la loi.

Source : le gouvernement du Canada

Federal: Accessibility Plan deadlines are quickly approaching June 16 2022

In July of 2019, the Accessible Canada Act came into force, intending to create a barrier-free Canada by January 1, 2040. The Act imposes 3 main employer obligations, which are: to prepare and publish accessibility plans; to set up a feedback process about accessibility; and to prepare and publish progress reports.

The deadline for government agencies to have accessibility plans in place is December 31, 2022, while for private sector businesses with 100 or more employees, the deadline is June 1, 2023, and for private sector businesses with 10- 99 employees the deadline is June 1, 2024.

To learn more about the Accessible Canada Act visit, https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/accessible-canada.html

Fédéral : Les échéances du plan d’accessibilité approchent à grands pas

En juillet 2019, la Loi canadienne sur l’accessibilité est entrée en vigueur, avec l’intention de créer un Canada sans obstacle d’ici le 1er janvier 2040. La loi impose 3 obligations principales aux employeurs, qui sont : dresser et publier des plans d’accessibilité ; établir un processus de rétroaction sur l’accessibilité ; et rendre compte ouvertement des progrès réalisés.

La date limite pour que les organismes gouvernementaux aient des plans d’accessibilité en place est le 31 décembre 2022, tandis que pour les entreprises du secteur privé comptant 100 employés ou plus, la date limite est le 1er juin 2023, et pour les entreprises du secteur privé comptant 10 à 99 employés, la date limite est le 1er juin 2024.

Federal: Mandatory Vaccination in Workplaces January 12 2022

On December 7, 2021 the Government of Canada proposed new regulations for mandatory vaccination under the Canada Labour Code that apply to all federally regulated workplaces. The new regulation is expected to come into force in early 2022.

Source: Government of Canada

For more information: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2021/12/government-of-canada-will-require-employees-in-all-federally-regulated-workplaces-to-be-vaccinated-against-covid-19.html

Fédéral : Vaccination obligatoire sur les lieux de travail

Le 7 décembre 2021, le gouvernement du Canada a proposé un nouveau règlement en vertu du Code canadien du travail qui rendra la vaccination obligatoire dans les lieux de travail sous réglementation fédérale. Le nouveau règlement devrait entrer en vigueur au début de 2022.

Source : Gouvernement du Canada

Pour plus d’information : https://www.canada.ca/fr/emploi-developpement-social/nouvelles/2021/12/government-of-canada-will-require-employees-in-all-federally-regulated-workplaces-to-be-vaccinated-against-covid-19.html

Mandatory Vaccination for Federally Regulated Transportation Sectors October 20 2021

The Government of Canada has announced that as of October 30, 2021 federally regulated employers in the air, rail, and marine transportation sectors are to have mandatory vaccination policies in place. Organizations will be granted a short phase in period, in which afterwards employees are to be fully vaccinated or they will be unable to work. The vaccination requirement will apply to:

• Airlines and airports, and other organizations who have employees who enter restricted areas of airports, such as concession and hospitality workers;
• Federally regulated railways, and their rail crew and track employees; and
• Marine operators with Canadian vessels that operate with 12 or more crew.

Source: Government of Canada

To learn more: https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2021/10/mandatory-covid-19-vaccination-requirements-for-federally-regulated-transportation-employees-and-travellers.html

Vaccination obligatoire pour les secteurs du transport sous réglementation fédérale

Le gouvernement du Canada a annoncé qu’à compter du 30 octobre 2021, les employeurs sous réglementation fédérale dans les secteurs du transport aérien, ferroviaire et maritime devront mettre en place des politiques de vaccination obligatoire. Les organisations bénéficieront d’une courte période de mise en place, au cours de laquelle les employés devront ensuite être entièrement vaccinés, faute de quoi ils ne pourront pas travailler. L’obligation de vaccination s’appliquera :

• aux compagnies aériennes et aux aéroports, ainsi qu’aux autres organisations dont les employés pénètrent dans les zones réglementées des aéroports, comme les employés des concessions et des services d’accueil ;
• aux compagnies de chemin de fer sous réglementation fédérale, ainsi qu’aux membres de leur personnel et aux employés des voies ferrées ; et
• aux exploitants maritimes dont les navires canadiens sont exploités par 12 membres d’équipage ou plus.

Source : Gouvernement du Canada

Pour en savoir plus : https://www.canada.ca/fr/transports-canada/nouvelles/2021/10/exigences-relatives-a-la-vaccination-obligatoire-contre-la-covid-19-pour-les-employes-du-secteur-des-transports-sous-reglementation-federale-et-ses.html

Flexible Work Arrangements April 16 2018

Purpose:  The purpose of the HR Minute is to provide clients with timely information about human resources issues.  Please take a moment to read this important information.

Although not mandated by employment legislation, many employers have recognized the benefits of approving requests for flexible work arrangements.  Of course, being accommodating and implementing a practice of flexible arrangements can improve morale, increase retention and ultimately, improve effectiveness and efficiency.  On the other hand, some employers remain hesitant about flexible work arrangements as it is difficult to track an employee’s time, it creates scheduling conflicts, and it requires an adjustment to a new management style which requires trust.

As defined by the Government of Canada, “flexible work arrangements allow employees to alter, on a temporary or permanent basis, their work schedule, the number of hours they work or the location where they do their work, or to take leave from work to meet responsibilities outside of work.” Flexible work arrangements can be implemented in several different ways such as flex-time, compressed workweeks, part-time scheduling, job sharing or shift work.  Before approving requests, employers should be mindful of the impact the arrangement(s) will have on the organization.  For example, employers should ensure that opportunities are available to all employees and free from prejudice or discrimination.  

Despite an organization’s best efforts, some employees may be negatively impacted more than other groups based on several circumstances.  In order to mitigate any claim of discriminatory practice, employers should ensure they evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis along with clear policies and careful documentation. Agreements should always be in writing and include a start and end date, a list of the changes that will take effect, as well as signatures from both parties.

Upcoming Changes to the Canada Labour Code

The Government of Canada hopes to make significant changes to legislation in order to accelerate the trend toward flexible schedules.  In recent discussions, the Government has expressed its commitment to amend the Canada Labour Code with plans to provide employees the right to request flexible work arrangements from their employers. 

Under Bill C-63, Budget Implementation Act, 2017 employers will have to provide a bona fide reason as to why they decide not to grant the leave as well as other exceptions.  Other countries, such as Australia and the UK, have already granted their employees similar rights.

The Government has only recently begun discussions in earnest. For now, employers will simply have to await further deliberation.  We will continue to report on this trend as it develops.

For a sample flexible work arrangement policy, please visit the Policy Library in the Resource Centre tab of our website. To view Bill C-63 and other related federal legislation, please visit the Laws tab.

Date: April, 2018

Bill C-65: Canada Labour Code’s New Harassment Framework March 14 2018

Purpose: The purpose of the HR Minute is to provide clients with timely information about human resources issues. Please take a moment to read this important information.

Introduced in November 2017, the federal government is currently reviewing Bill C-65, which, if passed into law, would present some important amendments to the Canada Labour Code’s standards and process around workplace violence and harassment, including sexual harassment and violence.

Bill C-65 would also ensure the application of those same provisions to parliamentary and political staff, governed by the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act (“PESRA”).

Proposed Changes to the Canada Labour Code

If passed, Bill C-65 would expand a number of provisions in Part II, Occupational Health and Safety. Some of the proposed changes include:

• New federal regulations surrounding the obligation for federal employers to take measures against and respond to harassment in the workplace. Employers would be required to investigate, record, and report all “accidents, occurrences of harassment or violence, occupational illnesses and other hazardous occurrences known to the employer.”
• The inclusion of “psychological injuries” and “psychological illnesses” as consequences of abuse, instead of focusing on physical injury.
• A new complaint reporting structure that would forward unresolved harassment or violence complaints directly to the attention of the Minister of Employment for investigation.
• New rules and guidelines regarding the complainant’s right to privacy; specifically, which employer agents are able to participate in an investigation without the employee’s explicit consent.

Proposed Changes to the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act

Presently, no legislative occupational health and safety standards apply to employees of the House of Commons, the Senate, the Library of Parliament, the Parliamentary Protective Service, or the Parliamentary Budget Officer. Bill C-65 would expressly provide for the application of the majority of the Code’s Occupational Health and Safety provisions to those employees and individuals who are not employees but are performing activities, the primary purpose of which is to enable the person to acquire knowledge and experience.

Takeaways

Being that this is a federal amendment, it applies chiefly to employees working in the public sector. However, the bill will likely serve as a valuable guide for employers of all jurisdictions.

Federally-regulated employers, including those covered by the PESRA, should consider whether Bill C-65’s proposed changes require an examination or revision of current policies and practices on workplace violence or harassment.

As of the time of writing, Bill C-65 is currently being read in committee and could be subject to further amendment. We will continue to report on this story as it develops; keep an eye on our website for updates.

Date: March, 2018