{"id":244257,"date":"2025-05-16T23:50:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T23:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/accounting\/new-esa-ohsa-changes-coming-heres-what-you-need-to-know\/"},"modified":"2025-05-16T23:50:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T23:50:57","slug":"new-esa-ohsa-changes-coming-heres-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=244257","title":{"rendered":"New ESA + OHSA Changes Coming: Here\u2019s What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"


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If you\u2019re a small or medium-sized business in Ontario, mark your calendars: significant updates to Ontario\u2019s Employment Standards Act (ESA) and Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) are coming into effect in June and July 2025.<\/p>\n

These changes impact employee onboarding, leave policies, and facility maintenance; and there is a good chance 1 or more will apply to you and your organization\/business.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a quick breakdown of what\u2019s coming and how to get ahead of it:<\/p>\n

1. New Long-Term Illness Leave (ESA)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Effective June 19, 2025 <\/em><\/p>\n

Employees with 13+ weeks of service will now be entitled to up to 27 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for serious medical conditions. Certification from a health care practitioner will be required to approve this.<\/p>\n

Action to take:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • Be sure to update your company\u2019s leave policies<\/li>\n
  • Train supervisors on handling leave requests including documentation requirements<\/li>\n
  • Start tracking leave types and durations (think HRIS or spreadsheet)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    2. Mandatory New Hire Info (ESA)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    Effective July 1, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n

    Employers with 25 or more employees will be required to provide new hires with:<\/p>\n

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    • The legal name of employer<\/li>\n
    • Contact info for supervisors<\/li>\n
    • A designated work location<\/li>\n
    • Starting wage<\/li>\n
    • Pay period + payday<\/li>\n
    • General hours of work<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Action to take:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      • Standardize employment contracts to include the required information<\/li>\n
      • Roll out a checklist-based onboarding process<\/li>\n
      • Use templates to avoid missing key info<\/li>\n
      • Great time to review those contracts while you are at it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        3. Washroom Cleaning Logs (OHSA)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

        Effective July 1, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n

        If you are in the construction industry you\u2019re now responsible for maintaining clean washrooms and documenting when they\u2019re cleaned. As of January 1, 2026 you will be required to post the last 2 cleanings for each facility. Alternatively, this can be done electronically.<\/p>\n

        Action Step:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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        • Assign a staff lead or vendor to complete regular cleaning<\/li>\n
        • Keep a written or digital cleaning log<\/li>\n
        • Review for AODA compliance while you\u2019re at it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          4. Contract or \u201cGig\u201d Workers<\/strong><\/h4>\n

          Have contract or \u201cgig\u201d workers that are apart of your workforce? The Digital Platform Workers\u2019 Rights Act, 2022 will come into effect on July 1, 2025. This act covers a variety of topics a few of them include minimum wage requirements, regular\/set pay periods, keeping detailed records, and more<\/p>\n

          Action Step:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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          • Determine if any of your workforce falls under Digital Platform Workers\u2019 Rights Act, 2022\u00a0(\u201cDPWRA\u201d)<\/li>\n
          • Review and Update impacted policies<\/li>\n
          • Again, review and update your contracts to align with the changes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            SME Tip: Get Proactive, Not Reactive<\/strong><\/p>\n

            As with most things, don\u2019t wait until the last minute to update policies or procedures related to these new requirements. Implementing these changes in early gives you a head start. Not only to provide assurance in maintaining a compliant workplace, or prevent possible costly fines, but will also provide a more transparent and employee-centric workplace, supporting all your people.<\/p>\n

            Bonus<\/strong>: Looking for a New Onboarding Checklist tailored to these new hire requirements? We have a free one to check out! Click here<\/a> to download.<\/p>\n

            To find out more about the wide variety of services RLB People\u00a0can provide you with contact the team at\u00a0people@rlb.ca<\/a>\u00a0or visit their website at\u00a0people.rlb.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n