The growing adoption of prohibitions against demanding sick notes to substantiate short-term absences, related to the health of employees or their immediate families, is among the emerging trends that are challenging employers in 2026. In November, British Columbia joined Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador in imposing […]
The new year will bring some big changes to the rules on in-office work for many employees across the country — including tens of thousands of provincial government staff in Ontario and Alberta who will be required back in the office full time. As of Jan. 5, Ontario provincial government employees will be expected to […]
As new pay transparency legislation comes into effect in British Columbia and Ontario, it’s important for small- and medium-sized employers to ensure they’re complying with provincial, territorial and federal regulations, says Mohamed Basma, general manager for small business services at ADP Canada. “This is pressing now more than ever as remote work is so much […]
While the total number of pension plans in B.C. declined to 610 in 2024, overall membership increased by four per cent to 1.34 million members, according to a new report from the BC Financial Services Authority. The decline in the number of plans, from 613 in 2023, was attributed to plan mergers and windups. The […]
The British Columbia government has proposed changes to the province’s Employment Standards Act to allow up to 27 weeks of unpaid leave each year for people facing a “catastrophic” illness or injury. Premier David Eby told a news conference in Victoria that the change would take effect this fall if the bill is passed by his New Democrat […]
A think tank is urging the federal government to abandon plans for a single-payer pharmacare program in the face of tariff-related fiscal uncertainty. Rosalie Wyonch, associate director of research at the C.D. Howe Institute, says in a new report released Thursday that the government should instead look to fill existing gaps in coverage. Ottawa should […]
What’s a plan administrator to do when an individual makes a claim to a pension entitlement that goes back many years after their employment — or in some cases, the employment of a spouse, partner, parent or even grandparent — has ended and available pension records are inconclusive? In a perfect world, when pension inquiries […]
While pay transparency requirements differ across Canada, there are several best practices for employers to ensure equity in the workplace, says Caitlin Hurren, legal counsel at ADP Canada. Provincial pay transparency legislation is gradually being enacted across the country. On Jan. 1, 2026, Ontario-based employers will be required to include total compensation — including base […]
Administering a pension plan involves the accumulation of large amounts of data in the form of documents, filings, reports, emails and letters. At some point, plan administrators who have amassed all this information will ask themselves, “How long do we need to keep these records?” There’s some guidance from pension legislation, as well as pension […]
Changes to British Columbia’s employment standards legislation to no longer allow employers to require sick notes for short-term absences are welcome after a decade of advocacy, says Doctors of BC president Dr. Charlene Lui. She said the group is “very pleased” that the province has moved to eliminate the need for employees to get “routine […]