Employment Standards

Domestic Workers Bill of Rights

On July 1, 2019, two new ordinances will go into effect in Seattle, Washington, giving domestic workers labor rights and protections traditionally reserved for mainstream employees. The Domestic Workers Ordinance (a.k.a. “Domestic Workers Bill of Rights”) gives minimum wage, meal and rest break rights to domestic workers. The other ordinance extends the protections of the Read more

On October 1, 2018, Manitoba’s minimum wage rate rose by 20 cents to $11.35 per hour. The new rate is based on Manitoba’s 2017 inflation rate of 1.6 percent, and rounding up to the nearest five cents. All employees must receive minimum wage unless they are not covered by provincial employment standards or are excluded Read more

Ontario’s government has passed the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, making several changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000.  Employers covered by this Act should be working on addressing the new amendments, many of which are effective now. Under the new legislation, the minimum wage rate was increased to $14 per hour on January Read more

Five Canadian provinces will increase their minimum wage rates this spring. The minimum wage rate increases are based on annual changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI is an indicator of changes in consumer prices experienced by Canadians. It is obtained by comparing the cost of a fixed basket of goods and services Read more

In recent years there has been a growing interest in law making that would require employers to give employees advance notice of their work schedules, pay them for reporting to work as scheduled and for time they are “on call”, and give them the right to request schedule changes without fear of retaliation. Already California, Read more

Two recent California court decisions have interpreted features of California law that affect how employees spend their break time and what their employers can expect. Specifically, the decisions concern employee reprieve from work and availability during meal and rest periods. Applicable Law In California, employee meal and rest periods are prescribed by statute and Industrial Read more

After a bill’s enactment this past November, Ontario employers must start reviewing their employment policies to stay compliant.  New employer obligations come as a result of the Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act (Bill 18). The Act was passed in an effort to provide support to Ontario workers. The first amendment will remove the Read more