05 Jun How can the Working for Workers Act benefit employees?
Employers with more than twenty-five employees are legally responsible to incorporate a new bill that has passed, Bill 27, the Working for Workers Act, into their policies. This bill outlines an employee’s right to disconnect, the disallowance of non-compete agreements, a licencing mandate for temporary help agencies and recruiters, the outlaw of recruiting charges, the rejection of requiring Canadian experience as a qualification for employment, and other new directives.
Bill 27 functions at its core to benefit employees. For example, it legally demands, through the right to disconnect, that employers disengage with their employees by phone or through their virtual work platform once work hours have ended. Because of the pandemic, companies have learned that a lot of work can be sufficiently completed remotely. However, many employees became overworked because of the constant proximity to their work. This bill was meant to help employees avoid burnout, provide them with proper recovery times, and help them receive the employment opportunities they deserve.
How might these changes affect employers?
As these changes are guaranteed to positively affect employees, there are also aspects that can benefit employers. As this bill works to counteract employee burnout, employers can benefit from building a team that is more consistent, productive, and have a greater willingness to perform during their scheduled work hours. Thus, employers would be actively building a more profitable network of employees.
Moreover, as non-compete agreements were constructed to help employers protect their private information and their position in the marketplace, forgoing non-compete agreements allows for the potential to recruit unlimited talent and not be restricted when hiring qualified employees. Employers will have the opportunity to hire more employees who have had similar experiences, which could achieve a more sophisticated and experienced team.
Further, removing the necessity for workers to have “Canadian experience” as a qualification for certain positions will tear down many barriers for employees immigrating from other countries. This opens more doors for new employees entering Canada, and it also expands many opportunities for employers. Employers now have a greater hiring pool and the chance to enhance their teams with many diverse perspectives instead of mainly a Canadian outlook.
Lastly, implementing mandatory licenses for temporary work agencies and recruiters allows for a fair recruiting process and will offer more favourable jobs to workers seeking this help. Employers who are clients to these recruiters can be more confident and trusting knowing recruiters are properly qualified in recruiting the right worker for the job, whatever the status of the employee may be.
If you are an employer seeking to adjust your workplace policies to meet the new regulations Bill 27 mandates, please contact KCY at LAW by filling in an online consultation request or contact us by phone at 905-639-0999 to book your consultation today.