Some of the measures voted in by Canada’s most populace province on November 6 include indexing the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index and extending protection for temporary recruitment agency workers. Ontario’s legislature vote confirms the Government’s commitment to reducing poverty and social inequality. However some workers rights defense groups have judged the measures to be insufficient. Going forward, the minimum wage in the province of Ontario will be linked to the Consumer Price Index. This is one of the measures of the new 2014 Act: The Stronger Workplaces for a Stronger Economy Act that was passed on November 6 by the Ontario legislature. The minimum wage will be revalued annually every April and the rise in the level will come into effect 6 months later every October. The new Act that targets ‘vulnerable’ workers also provides for:
- Students on placement under the “co-operative education” program (internship/work placement as part of education program) and other student interns will be covered for health and safety issues and will guarantee their right to refuse unsafe work.
- An order from the Minister for Labor has extended the reference period for reclaiming unpaid wages from six months to two years. The current 10,000 C$ recovery ceiling has been scrapped.
- The 2009 Act ‘Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act
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