Vey Willetts lawyer Paul Willetts was quoted in the March 6, 2017 edition of The Lawyer's Daily in an article entitled "Big changes could be on Way for Ontario workplace landscape." The article discusses the provincial government's Changing Workplaces Review and some of the changes employees and employers in Ontario may expect to see.
In the article, Paul commented that it is important for the province to strike a balance, in any changes it does institute, between protecting vulnerable employees and ensuring that Ontario remains an attractive place for business. Among the potential changes that Willetts discussed, he noted the significant impact that modifications to overtime provisions could have for many businesses in Ottawa:
"...right now we have a lot of positions that are excluded from that [overtime]. For example, managerial positions, IT professions, as well as others. I’m in Ottawa and we have a big IT/high-tech centre here and those people work a lot of long hours. If those changes were to come into effect it could hit some industries quite hard."
It remains to be seen what changes the provincial government may ultimately make, however, if you are an Ontario employee or employer and would like to better understand your rights and obligations, and how these changes may affect you, please contact us.
Vey Willetts LLP is an Ottawa-based employment and labour law firm that provides timely and cost-effective legal advice to help employees and employers resolve workplace issues in Ottawa and across Ontario. 613-238-4430 or info@vwlawyers.ca