Message from Nicole Perreault, director, Human Resources:
On November 21, 2018 the government passed Bill 47, the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, which modifies portions of the Employment Standards Act. In order to comply with this new legislation, the College has made the following changes, effective January 1, 2019.
Equal Pay for Equal Work
The College adjusted rates for part-time faculty, sessional faculty and a number of part-time support staff under the Equal Pay for Equal Work provisions in Bill 148; Bill 47 removed this requirement. The college will maintain wage rates implemented under Bill 148.
Overtime
The College will continue to pay overtime for part-time support staff, part-time administrators and student employees who work more than 44 hours per week.
Public Holidays
The College will continue to pay eligible employees for public holidays as per the Employment Standards Act .
Vacation Pay
The College will continue to pay 4% vacation pay, growing to 6% vacation pay for employees with more than 5 years of service. This applies to part-time support staff, part-time administrators and student employees. For part-time faculty, sessional faculty and partial-load faculty, vacation pay is included in their hourly rate.
Personal Emergency Leave Days (PEL Days)
Bill 47 repealed the PEL days and introduced the following unpaid days:
- 3 unpaid sick days per calendar year
- 3 unpaid family leave days per calendar year
- 2 unpaid bereavement days per calendar year
Effective January 1, 2019 the College will no longer be providing paid PEL days and will provide unpaid leaves as stated above.
Other Leaves
The Employment Standards Leaves introduced as part of Bill 148, such as pregnancy, parental, critical illness, crime-related, child disappearance and child death, domestic and sexual violence leaves, remain unchanged.
Scheduling
Effective January 1, 2019 a 3-hour scheduling rule will be implemented. Under this rule, when an employee who regularly works more than 3 hours a day is required to present themselves for work, but works less than 3 hours despite being available to work longer, the College will pay that employee for 3 hours of work.
Minimum Wage
The current minimum wage of $14.00 per hour was frozen. The minimum wage will be subject to an annual inflation adjustment starting on October 1, 2020. Minimum wage will remain at $14.00 per hour until that time.
