Ontario proposes new law that would help people with their work-life balance
Ontario is proposing new legislation that would encourage employees to disconnect from the office and sustain a healthier work life balance.
Labour Minister Monte McNaughton introduced the Working for Workers Act on Monday, which would require employers with 25 employees or more to develop policies that give workers the right to disconnect.
“Ontario cannot be a province where people burnout from endless work and family time comes last. We need to give our workers a break,” McNaughton said.
McNaughton said examples of these policies could include setting expectations for email response times and encouraging employees to turn on out-of-office notifications when they aren’t working.
“When you're off the clock. You're off the clock,” McNaughton said. “Everyone should be able to unplug at the end of their work day because people are more than their jobs, they are mums and dads, volunteers for local charities, members of faith communities, and so much more.”
The proposed legislation would also prohibit employers from using “unfair” non-compete agreements, which McNaughton said often restrict employees from taking new jobs in the same field and subsequently result in suppressed wages.
The province says this change would help workers advance their careers and earn more money without penalty. Meanwhile, employers’ intellectual property would still be protected through narrow clauses.
Expert says new law could ‘cause havoc’
Employment lawyer Howard Levitt told CTV News Toronto the province’s proposed legislation “doesn't really solve the problem.” Instead, he suggested the government “might be virtue signalling.”
“It's another example of legislation that accomplishes nothing,” Levitt said.
He pointed to his own office as an example. “In my law firm, I've actually disciplined employees for disconnecting,” Levitt said. In a recent example, he said an employee disconnected from work for the weekend while a client was enduring a major crisis.
“It depends on the nature of the business,” he said. “It would be devastating to my clients in particular if we just disconnected.”
Levitt said already existing legislation, such as overtime laws in Ontario, ensure employees who work after hours are compensated.
“What benefit is this legislation? It's simply enunciating what the law already is.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.