Ontario recently passed Bill 190 , Working for Workers Five Act, 2024, on October 28, 2024, building on earlier legislation of the same series and making further changes to employment rules in Ontario. Below are some of the key developments that employers with personnel in Ontario should be aware of. Many changes under Bill 190 apply to the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ ESA ”): Doctor’s Notes.
Ontario employers are now prohibited from requiring employees to provide a medical certificate for an unpaid sick leave taken under Section 50 of the ESA. Employers may still require an employee who takes sick leave to provide evidence reasonable in the circumstances that the employee is entitled to the leave, but this must not include a medical certificate provided by, for example, a physician, a registered nurse, or a psychologist. For reference, the sick leave entitlement under the ESA is three unpaid days per year for employees who have two or more consecutive weeks of service.
Disclosing Vacancies in Job Postings. On a date to be proclaimed, employers who post a public job advertisement for a position in Ontario will have to include a statement disclosing whether the posting is for an existing vacancy or not. These changes are part of a string of upcoming requirements for job postings in Ontario following the pay transparency rules set out in Bill 149, which also have yet to be proclaimed into force.
You can read about Bill 149 here . Job Interviews. Employers.