Ontario’s Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025 (Bill 30) received Royal Assent on November 27, 2025.
It introduces a new wave of workplace reforms designed to protect employees and those seeking employment while increasing accountability for employers and job-posting platforms. The legislation amends the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 (WSIA) with a focus on recruitment, mass terminations, temporary layoffs, and compliance enforcement. Below is an overview of the major changes.
New Job Posting Requirements
ESA amendments relating to the operation of job-posting websites will come into force on January 1, 2026. These provisions are aimed at restricting fake or misleading job advertisements online. Operators of job-posting websites will have to:
- Implement and maintain a written policy addressing fraudulent job postings,
- Retain copies of past policies for three years after they are replaced, and
- Establish a mechanism for users to report fraudulent postings.
The requirements do not apply to platforms operated by a single employer that only advertise the employer’s own jobs.
Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must follow additional requirements when posting publicly advertised job postings. Such postings must include expected compensation or a salary range (with a maximum range width of $50,000). This is not necessary if the top of the compensation range exceeds $200,000. Employers must also disclose the use of artificial intelligence in applicant screening or selection, indicate whether the posting is for an existing vacancy, and retain copies of all publicly advertised job postings for three years after they are taken down. Employers will be prohibited from requiring “Canadian experience” in job postings or application forms. They must also notify interviewed applicants of the final hiring decision within 45 days of the applicant’s last interview.
Extended Temporary Layoffs
The amendments to the ESA relating to temporary layoffs came into force immediately upon Royal Assent (as did the provisions to be explored below). Bill 30 permits temporary layoffs to exceed 35 weeks within a 52-week period. Under the new rules, layoffs may extend past 35 weeks if:
- The employee and employer agree to the arrangement in writing,
- The employer receives approval on an application to the Director of Employment Standards,
- The agreement includes a clearly stated latest recall date, and
- The agreement states that the employee cannot withdraw their agreement.
Even with approval, layoffs must not exceed 52 weeks in any 78-week period. Notwithstanding the legislative change, employers are reminded that the right to temporarily layoff an employee is not inherent and must derive from a contractual right in the employee’s employment agreement or be based on an established past practice by the employer.
Job-Seeking Leave for Mass Terminations
When an employer terminates 50 or more employees within a four-week period (a mass termination), each affected employee is now entitled to up to three unpaid days of job-seeking leave during their notice period. Workers can use this leave to attend interviews, apply for jobs, or participate in training programs. Employees must provide three days’ notice where possible, and employers may request reasonable evidence that the leave is being used for job-related purposes.
This leave does not apply when an employer provides payment in lieu of working notice for more than 25% of the required statutory notice period.
Strengthened Enforcement and Penalties
Bill 30 also enhances enforcement powers and increases penalties under both the OHSA and the WSIA. Under the OHSA, inspectors are now authorized to issue administrative monetary penalties for contraventions, allowing for more immediate enforcement of health and safety requirements. The penalty amounts will be determined in accordance with regulations. The legislation also introduces a reimbursement program through the Workplace
Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) for eligible employers who are required to install defibrillators.
Under the WSIA, Bill 30 creates a new offence for failing to pay premiums when due, and courts may order full restitution of outstanding amounts. The maximum penalty for persons convicted of two or more counts of the same offence in a single proceeding has increased to $750,000 per conviction. Courts must now consider aggravating factors for employer defendants such as previous convictions, multiple convictions in the same proceeding, or a history of non-compliance. Administrative penalties may also be imposed for making false or misleading statements to the WSIB, failing to keep accurate wage records, or failing to produce those records upon request.
These updates highlight the importance of keeping current with evolving employment legislation. By staying informed, employers can remain compliant and reduce the risk of penalties.