The Ontario Government has just announced a slew of new regulations that, if passed, will change the way dentist employers act in their dental practices.
As of today, December 6, 2018, there are three specific changes (out of a huge list of changes) that affect dentists and their practices.
Overtime/Excess Hours Application
Amending the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) to reduce regulatory burden on businesses, including no longer requiring them to obtain approval from the Director of Employment Standards for excess hours of work and overtime averaging
According to the government, these proposed changes would eliminate the requirement for employers to apply for Ministry of Labour approval for excess weekly hours of work and overtime averaging. The changes would retain these requirements for employee-written agreements. These changes would set four weeks as the maximum time that an employer could average an employee’s hours of work for the purposes of determining overtime pay. This would, according to the government, make companies more competitive by giving them more flexibility to manage shifts.
ESA Poster
Stop requiring employers to post the ESA poster in the workplace, but retain the requirement that they provide the poster to employees
Employers are already required to give each employee a copy of the most recent version of the ESA poster, in addition to posting it in the workplace. The proposed change eliminates the duplication for employers of having to do both.
WHMIS Requirements
Amending Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to allow updated labels to be placed on existing chemical containers
According to the government, the proposed change would amend WHMIS regulation to allow updated labels to be placed on existing chemical containers. Without this change, existing chemicals would need to be disposed of, and new chemicals would need to be purchased.
Has your head stopped spinning? Keep in touch with DMC LLP and we will keep you up to date on all employment law changes – as they happen!
