Payroll

WSIB premiums decrease for first time in 15 years

September 23, 2016 Clear Path Employer Services Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation

Ontario’s Workplace Safety & Insurance Board made headlines this month by announcing that employer premiums would decrease an average of 5% in 2017, the first such decrease in over 15 years. This will result in approximately $250 million less being collected from employers, making the average premium rate $2.46 per $100 of insurable payroll, down from $2.59 in 2016.

employment law, Payroll, premium rate reduction, Premium Rates, wsib, WSIB 2017 premium rates, WSIB premiums, WSIB premiums decrease

New minimum wage increase in Ontario

September 20, 2016 Beyond Rewards Inc Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Recruiting and Hiring, Wages and Compensation

Minimum wage is the lowest wage rate an employer can legally pay their employee. Ontario has one of the highest minimum wage rates; as of October 1st, 2016 Ontario’s minimum wage rate will be increasing. The majority of employees are entitled to minimum wage, including casual employees, full-time and part-time employees, and those paid an hourly rate, piece rate, flat rate, salary, or commission. Although, there are some exemptions from minimum wage provisions of the Employment Standards Act.

compensation, employment law, General Minimum Wage, Homeworkers Wage, Hunting and Fishing Guides Minimum Wage, Liquor Servers Minimum Wage, minimum wage, Minimum wage increase, new minimum wage rates, Ontario minimum wage, pay, Payroll, Student Minimum Wage

Employer risk 101 – Ministry enforcement of the ESA

August 10, 2016 Lisa Stam, Spring Law Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation

If you are reading an employment law blog you already know that employers have legal obligations under the Ontario Employment Standards Act. The top five violations for the fiscal year 2014/2015, as compiled by the Ministry of Labour, were with respect to…

employment law, employment standards act, Employment Standards Officer, ESA, inspections, Ministry of Labour, Ontario Labour Relations Board, overtime pay, Payroll, Public Holiday Pay, public holidays, record keeping, termination, vacation pay, vacation time

First Monday in August a.k.a Civic Holiday: Public holiday or not?

July 29, 2016 Cristina Lavecchia Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation

In most parts of Canada, the first Monday of August is recognized as a holiday. This year, the first Monday is August 1. Although most commonly referred to as “Civic Holiday”, the holiday is referred to differently across Canada. The name of the holiday is not the only thing that differs between the provinces and territories, the legal status of the holiday also varies. That is, in some provinces and territories, the first Monday in August is considered a statutory (public) holiday, while in others it is not.

British Columbia Day, civic holiday, discretionary day off, employment law, employment standards act, Heritage Day, labour standards act, labour standards code, Natal Day, Payroll, Public Holiday, Simcoe Day, Statutory Holiday, Terry Fox Day

Three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk

May 12, 2016 Cristina Lavecchia Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Privacy and Security, Training and Development, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation

The three popular articles this week on HRinfodesk deal with: An FAQ that addresses an employee harassment complaint; a case that looks at accommodating an employee with a disability; and a notification regarding upcoming minimum wage increases in British Columbia.

accommodation, discrimination, employment law, harassment complaint, human rights, human rights code, Minimum wage increase, Payroll, termination, undue hardship, workplace harassment policy, workplace violence

The case of the damaged company vehicle: Employer ordered to pay unpaid wages, travel costs, and fee

April 15, 2016 Cristina Lavecchia Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Analytics, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Source Deductions and Reporting, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation

In the matter of Step Energy Services Ltd. v. Joe Palmer, the employer appealed an Order of an Employment Standards Officer that required the employer to pay $3,397.22 for unpaid wages that the Officer concluded was owing to the employee.

Alberta Employment Standards Code, Authorized deductions from pay, damage of company vehicle, employee wages, employment law, employment standards, employment standards code, Payroll, travel costs, unilateral wage reduction by an employer, unpaid wages, wage reduction

Small claims court rules termination clause that violates ESA in future is unenforceable

April 14, 2016 Simon Heath, BA, MIR, LLB, Heath Law Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Payroll, Wages and Compensation

This decision is another reminder to employers to ensure that termination clauses provide for all entitlements prescribed by the Employment Standards Act in order for them to be considered valid and enforceable. The company in this case should never have carved out its obligation to provide statutory Severance Pay.

common law, contracting out of the minimum standards, employment contracts, employment law, ESA entitlement, Notice of termination, ontario employment standards act, Payroll, Severance pay, severance pay entitlement, statutory severance pay, termination clauses, termination pay, Termination provisions

What’s new in Canadian payroll for 2016?

January 26, 2016 Adam Gorley Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, International Payroll, Payroll, Penalties and Fines, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Source Deductions and Reporting, Wages and Compensation

This year there are big changes to income tax thresholds in Alberta and federally (in force January 1, 2016), new source deduction remittance rules, increased minimum wages, a reduced TFSA limit, updated record of employment requirements and other important changes for 2016…

2016 payroll rates, Canadian Payroll, Deductions at source, Employer's guide to Canadian payroll, employment insurance premiums, income tax, Income Tax Act, income tax thresholds, minimum wage, Payment of wages, Payroll, payroll guide, Provincial and federal taxes, record of employment, remittance of source deductions, ROE, Source deductions, TFSA limit

The latest on employer health benefits and services

July 5, 2010 Adam Gorley Human Resources, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits

Last year I dropped the ball on Sanofi-Aventis’ annual health care survey—in fact, it’s still sitting on my desk under a pile of other things! So this year, I’m making it a priority, and getting this brief post on the report to you right away, before I file a more in-depth article for HRinfodesk.

annual health care survey, Benefits administrator, Benefits and allowances, benefits package, benefits plan, costs of health benefits plans, employee engagement, employment law, health, health benefits, health plan, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Sanofi-Aventis

Happy Canada Day everyone! And look out for all the laws coming into force today

July 1, 2010 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources, Payroll, Source Deductions and Reporting, Union Relations

First, we at First Reference would like to wish everybody a happy and safe Canada Day! Second, several laws in various jurisdictions are coming into force today. They are…

CRA, employment law, employment standards, health and safety, HST, July 1 2010, occupational health and safety, Payroll, Public Holiday, taxes

Happy tax freedom day!

June 4, 2010 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Human Resources, Payroll, Source Deductions and Reporting

Canadians start working for themselves, not government on Saturday June 5. Celebrate Tax Freedom Day! So what does that mean?

deduction at source, fraser institute, income tax, Payroll, tax freedom day, taxes

Ontario Ministry of Labour online severance tool

May 6, 2010 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Employment/Labour Standards, Human Resources

The Ontario Ministry of Labour has a new online Severance Entitlement Tool to help employers and HR professionals determine when a terminated employee is entitled to statutory severance pay.

employment law, employment standards act, ontario, Ontario Ministry of Labour, Payroll, severance, Severance entitlement tool, Severance pay, Statutory severance, termination

EI will rise by a lot!

April 15, 2010 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Payroll, Source Deductions and Reporting

Several media outlets have reported that Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Officer announced a sharp rise in employment insurance rate. This stems from the recently tabled report: Projecting Employment Insurance Premium Revenues and Expenses made available on April 15, 2010…

2010, 2011, Canada, EI premium rates, EI rates, Employment Insurance Act, Employment Insurance premium rates, Employment insurance rates, Parliamentary Budget Officer, Payroll, Projecting Employment Insurance Premium Revenues and Expenses