Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, passed its third and final reading today. With Liberal and NDP MPPs voting in favour of the Bill, and Conservative MPPs opposing it, the controversial Bill will now become law, and introduce sweeping changes to workplace legislation in Ontario.
The next step is for the Bill to receive Royal Assent, which will occur on a date to be determined. We anticipate that the Bill will come into force on or before January 1, 2018, as some of the changes contemplated in the Bill, such as the increase to the minimum wage, are intended to take effect on that date.
Landon Young and Jeffrey Murray recently discussed the controversial changes proposed in Bill 148 in detail at Stringer LLP's 31st Annual Employers' Conference on November 1, 2017. Stay tuned for another detailed update coming soon, in which we will explain the changes coming into effect, and comment on how employers can prepare their organizations.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.