You may not be aware of the major legislation changes that took effect during 2016 so here is a recap:

In July 2016 the Ontario Government passed amendments to the Violence and Harassment legislation, requiring employers to include the definition of “workplace sexual harassment” in their policy, as well as providing additional requirements for reporting and investigating incidents, and training for employees on how to handle incidents.

The AODA Standards are now all fully in effect for all businesses in Ontario except for some portions of the Public Spaces/Building Standards.

This means that Employers with fewer than 50 workers will need to ensure that their Employment and Recruiting practices are in line with AODA provisions, and ensure their websites and publicly available communication materials are compliant. By December 31 2017 all businesses will be required to file an annual, online compliance report.

All employers, beginning January 1 2018, will need to keep in mind that renovations to workplaces will require compliance with new AODA standards.

These legislative changes mean your workplace policies and training will require updates to remain compliant.

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