Overview
The seventh instalment of the Province’s Working for Workers legislative series is here.
On May 28, 2025, the Province introduced Bill 30, Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025 for first reading. If enacted, Bill 30 would make various changes to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA).
On June 10, 2025, the Province also filed O. Reg. 116/25, which expands the information that employers are required to give to employees in the context of mass terminations under the ESA.
In addition, this summer will include several key coming into force dates for legislative changes that were made to the ESA and the OHSA by previous installments in the Working for Workers series.
This article begins with reminders regarding the key “in force” dates that will occur this summer, including information on the hot-off-the-press regulatory changes to the ESA under O. Reg. 116/25 (referenced above). The article will then provide a summary of the most significant proposed changes under new Bill 30.
Key Summertime “In Force” Dates
The key “in force” dates that will occur this summer under the Working for Workers legislative series are detailed below.
Employment Standards Act, 2000
New long-term illness leave. Effective June 19, 2025, the new long-term illness leave will be included in the ESA. For details, see our original reporting.
Required information for new employees. Effective July 1, 2025, employers with 25 or more employees must provide prescribed information in writing to new employees before their first day of work. For details, see our earlier reporting.
Required information for employees affected by mass terminations
Effective July 1, 2025, an employer who terminates the employment of 50 or more employees at the employer’s establishment in the same four-week period will be required to provide the employees with information regarding “Provincial employment services that are available to the affected employees.” This adds to the existing obligations of employers under the ESA in relation to “mass terminations.” No guidance has been provided regarding what specific “Provincial employment services” would satisfy this requirement. It is possible that the information provided through the Province’s Employment Ontario website could suffice.
This change stems from new O. Reg. 116/25, referenced above, which was filed on June 10, 2025. The Regulation amended O. Reg. 288/01 (“Termination and Severance of Employment”) under the ESA, which is the regulation that prescribes the information that employers must provide to employees who are affected by mass terminations.
Occupational Health and Safety Act
Construction industry washrooms. Effective July 1, 2025, constructors and employers must ensure workplace washrooms are clean and sanitary, and that cleaning records are kept and made available. For details, see our earlier reporting.
Digital Platform Workers’ Rights Act, 2022 (DPWRA)
New gig worker legislation. Effective July 1, 2025, the DPWRA – which was originally enacted by Bill 88, Working for Workers Act, 2022, and then subsequently amended by Bill 149, Working for Workers Four Act, 2023 – will come into force. The DPWRA establishes new rights for gig workers who engage in “digital platform work” (such as ride share, delivery, courier, etc.) regardless of whether they are employees. For details, see our earlier reporting.
Proposed Changes Under Bill 30
Employment Standards Act, 2000
Bill 30 proposes the following key changes to the ESA:
Job posting platforms. Persons who operate a “job posting platform” (i.e. an online platform that displays publicly advertised job postings; but this would not include an online platform operated by an employer that only advertises publicly advertised job postings for positions with the employer) would be subject to the following requirements: (1) establish and post procedures for users to report fraudulent job postings to the operator of the platform; and (2) develop, post, and retain a written policy on fraudulent job postings.
New job seeking leave. A new “job seeking leave” would be established for employees dismissed as part of a group (50 or more employees at once) termination. These employees would be entitled to three days of unpaid leave “to engage in activities related to obtaining employment, including job searches, interviews and training.”
Extended lay-offs. Employers would be permitted to extend lay-offs in some circumstances. The lay-off could be 35 or more weeks in any period of 52 consecutive weeks, but not 52 or more weeks in any period of 78 consecutive weeks. Among other requirements, an extended lay-off would only be permitted if: (1) the employer and employee agreed to it in writing; and (2) the Director of Employment Standards issued an approval to the employer allowing the extended lay-off (for which the employer would need to apply).
Occupational Health and Safety Act
Bill 30 proposes several changes to the OHSA. The most significant proposed change is as follows:
New administrative penalty scheme. A new administrative penalty scheme would be established. Inspectors would be authorized to issue administrative penalty notices and could impose administrative penalties for contraventions of, or failures to comply with, the OHSA in amounts to be prescribed. The OHSA does not presently include any administrative penalties.
Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
Bill 30 proposes several changes to the WSIA. Here are some highlights:
Enhanced fraud prohibitions and enforcement. An employer would be prohibited from making false or misleading statements or representations to the WSIB in connection with an employee’s claim for benefits under the insurance plan. Breaching this requirement would result in an administrative penalty (discussed below) and/or a conviction (and resulting fines) under the WSIA’s existing offences scheme.
New offence. A new provincial regulatory offence would be added to the WSIA: An employer who failed to calculate and pay premiums to the WSIB in accordance with section 88 of the WSIA would be guilty of an offence under the Act. If convicted, the employer could be ordered by the court to pay restitution (i.e. any amounts owing to the WSIB to the date of the order) and could receive an administrative penalty (discussed below).
Three new administrative penalties. Three new administrative penalties would be added. They would apply to an employer who: (1) made false or misleading statements or representations to the WSIB in connection with an employee’s claim for benefits under the insurance plan (discussed above); (2) failed to comply with the WSIB’s requirements for accurate wage records or its requirements for producing those record upon request; or (3) failure to pay premiums when they became due. The administrative penalties would be in addition to any penalty imposed by a court for an offence under the Act.
This publication provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. This publication is copyrighted by Hunter Legal LLP and may not be photocopied or reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the express permission of Hunter Legal LLP.