The Ontario government has passed a new law that prioritizes the balance between work and private life.
The Workers ‘Workers Act requires businesses in Ontario with 25 or more people to have a written policy outlining workers’ rights regarding severance from work at the end of the workday.
Businesses will be required to create this policy from January 1st to March 1st of each year. The new law encourages a healthier work-life balance of Ontario workers. Employees’ response time to email and the ability to turn off alerts while they are not working will be re-checked according to the new rules.
In addition to strengthening the work-life balance of workers, the new law also prohibits the use of non-compete clauses that exist to prevent people from exploring other job opportunities that compete with their previous employer’s business. According to the government, Ontario is the first jurisdiction in Canada, and one of the first in North America, to ban non-compete agreements in employment.
The law also assists foreign-trained immigrants by removing “unfair” work experience requirements and combating labor trafficking by enforcing mandatory licensing for temporary employment contractors and aid agencies.