When will group deliver final report?
Having announced in February that it plans to create a “portable” benefits program, the Ontario government now has a panel of five experts who will provide advice on the initiative.
The Portable Benefits Advisory Panel will recommend the design and implementation of a new plan that will cover millions of precarious workers in sectors such as retail, the gig economy, and hospitality.
“Access to basic necessities like dental care and affordable medication shouldn’t be determined by whether or not you work a nine-to-five job, but all-too-often it is,” says Monte McNaughton, minister of labour, training and skills development.
The panel members have expertise in financial, legal, and labour issues and experience in the structure and administration of benefit plans. Panel members include: Susan McArthur (chair), co-founder and executive chair of LockDocs; Sunil Johal, VP of public policy at the CSA Group; Brad Nicpon, partner at McCarthy Tétrault; Marlayna Perrone, professional sommelier; and Allan Shapira, senior partner and managing director at Aon Wealth Solutions.
The group will conduct research and consultations, assessing existing gaps in benefits coverage for different types of workers, such as those in part-time positions who do not have health and dental coverage through their employers, says the government. They will submit a final report to the government in the summer of 2023 with recommendations on how to best administer and implement the new benefits plan.
Ontario also recently passed a law requiring workplaces to have a “right to disconnect” policy, along with banning the use of non-compete clauses in employment.
In June 2021, McNaughton appointed the Ontario Workforce Recovery Advisory Committee (OWRAC) to provide recommendations to help Ontario meet the challenge of leading the future of work. One of its recommendations was to appoint experts to design and test a portable benefits program, where contributors could be consumers, employers, workers and the government.
However, several groups were unhappy with some of the recommendations.
