With 2025 now underway, it is essential for Ontario HR professionals to stay ahead of the legislative changes under the Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 and Working for Workers Five Act, 2024, and their newly announced in-force dates. Below are the key highlights you should be aware of to help prepare your organization for compliance.
- Job posting requirements – effective January 1, 2026
Pursuant to Ontario Regulation 476/24: Rules and Exemptions re Job Postings, publicly advertised job postings by employers with 25 or more employees must:
- Include compensation details: Publicly advertised job postings must disclose total compensation (including base salary, bonuses, commissions) or a range of expected compensation. If a range is provided, it cannot exceed CA$50,000. Compensation information is required only for positions where the expected compensation or the upper limit of the range is CA$200,000 or less.
- Disclose AI use: If artificial intelligence is used to screen or assess candidates, this must be clearly stated.
- Do not include “Canadian experience” requirements: Job postings cannot demand Canadian work experience.
- Indicate vacancy status: The job posting must state if the position is for an existing vacancy.
- New pre-employment information requirements – effective July 1, 2025
Under Ontario Regulation 477/24: When Work Deemed to be Performed, Exemptions and Special Rules, employers with 25 or more employees must provide new hires with the following details before their first day (or as soon as practicable):
- Legal and operating name of the employer.
- Contact information, including address and key contacts.
- Anticipated work location.
- Starting wage, pay period and pay day.
- General description of initial hours of work.
What this means for employers
To ensure compliance employers should:
- By January 1, 2026, update all job postings and job posting templates to meet the new compensation disclosure and AI requirements.
- By July 1, 2025, incorporate the prescribed pre-employment information into your employment agreement templates.
If you have any questions about how these changes apply, please contact the authors, Larysa Workewych or Mia Music, or a member of our Employment and Labour group for support to ensure your organization is fully prepared to meet these new requirements. To learn more about these changes and their potential impact, check out our blog post: https://www.employmentandlabour.com/the-countdown-is-on-for-ontario-employers-to-update-their-job-postings/
