Strong support in Ontario for several proposed workplace reforms: Poll

But many say employers will have to cut back benefits, hours to comply with minimum wage increase

Strong support in Ontario for several proposed workplace reforms: Poll
While HR professionals support some of the legislative changes proposed for Ontario’s workplaces, they also say the changes will lead to cutbacks when it comes to employee benefits, employee hours or staffing levels. REUTERS/Mark Blinch

While HR professionals support some of the legislative changes proposed for Ontario’s workplaces, they also say the changes will lead to cutbacks when it comes to employee benefits, employee hours or staffing levels.

That’s according to a survey of 1,101 members by the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) looking at the impact of Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, on large and small employers across Ontario.

The policy proposals found to have broad support from respondents involved changes to the Employment Standards Act. These include:

  • 75.4 per cent support for changes being made to the equal pay for equal work section
  • 88.7 per cent support for changes being made to the classification section
  • 86 per cent support for changes being made to the vacation section.

However, 61.2 per cent of respondents indicated members' employers will need to cut back on employee benefits being offered, cut employee hours, or lay off employees completely in order to comply with the minimum wage increase. The Ontario government is looking to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2019.

In addition:

  • 74.5 per cent of respondents do not support the changes being made to the union certification section of the Labour Standards Act.
  • 48 per cent of respondents said they would most likely decrease the use of casual, part-time and seasonal employees as a result of having to pay equal wages.

 

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