The Ontario government continues to reshape its provincial employment laws with the latest instalment of its “Working for Workers” legislative series.
What do employers need to know about this proposed law?
Bill 30, Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025, proposes the following amendments to Ontario’s workplace laws:
- Employment Standards Act, 2000:
- A requirement for persons operating job posting platforms to have a mechanism for users to report fraudulent publicly advertised job postings and to have a written policy with respect to fraudulent publicly advertised job postings.
- A new “job seeking leave” that would be triggered if 50 or more employees receive notice of termination and would provide impacted employees with three unpaid days off to engage in activities related to obtaining employment.
- A new extended layoff of more than 35 weeks in any period of period of 52 consecutive weeks, but not 52 or more weeks in any period of 78 consecutive weeks where the employer and employee agree to it and the Director of Employment Standards approves.
- Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA):
- A new administrative penalty scheme for contraventions or failures to comply with the OHSA.
- A reimbursement program to help those employers that are required by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to purchase a defibrillator.
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997:
- A new section that prohibits employers from making a false or misleading statement or representation to the Board in connection with any person’s claim for benefits under the insurance plan. Any infraction of this new clause will result in a penalty.
- An increase in the maximum fine payable by an employer that is convicted of two or more counts of the same offence in the same legal proceeding to CA$750,000 for each conviction. In determining the penalty, each of the following circumstances shall be considered an aggravating factor:
- The defendant was previously convicted of an offence under Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
- The defendant has been convicted of two or more counts of the same offence in the legal proceeding to which the determination of the penalty relates.
- The defendant has a record of prior non-compliance with this Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
What happens next?
The government will now debate the proposed amendments as Bill 30 makes its way through First, Second and Third Reading before receiving Royal Assent to become law.
Notably, in addition to the amendments outlined above, in its press release, the government indicated that it would begin consultations on “…employers’ access to electronic information, including examining current access practices, potential privacy restrictions and additional privacy requirements.” To this point, Ontario has not implemented private sector privacy legislation; however, this consultation may signal that Ontario employers may soon be grappling with a new workplace privacy legal regime.
For more information, please reach out to the author, Andy Pushalik.
