Province reviewing exemptions, exclusions under Employment Standards Act
Ontario is seeking public input to help make workplaces fairer for workers in industries that currently have exemptions, special rules or exclusions.
People can provide feedback on employment standards such as wages, hours of work and public holidays. The first phase of consultations focuses on eight occupations currently exempt from minimum employment standards:
- architects
- domestic workers
- homemakers
- IT professionals
- managerial and supervisory employees
- pharmacists
- residential building superintendents, janitors and caretakers
- residential care workers
Ontario is also reviewing rights under the Labour Relations Act for domestic workers.
This public consultation forms part of the Ministry of Labour's broader review of Employment Standards Act (ESA) special rules and exemptions, as well as Labour Relations Act (LRA) exclusions. It is part of Ontario's plan for Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs, which includes raising the minimum wage, ensuring part-time workers are paid the same hourly wage as full-time workers, introducing paid sick days for every worker and stepping up enforcement of employment laws
Feedback is welcomed until Dec. 1 at www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/about/workplace/web_notice.php.
Background
- There are about 85 special rules and exemptions under the Employment Standards Act.
- Today’s announcement responds to the final report of the Changing Workplaces Review, conducted by special advisors Michael Mitchell and John Murray, over the course of two years. It is the first-ever independent review of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and Labour Relations Act, 1995.
- In May 2017, the special advisors released a 419-page final report which proposed a review of ESA exemptions and contained comments on exclusions under the LRA.
