Almost two million Ontario employees are not eligible for at least one of these entitlements, the research submitted to the Ministry of Labour found. Removing the special rules would translate on average to an 8-per-cent pay raise for workers, according to the research. Ontario’s Employment Standards Act was originally designed to create a basic, universal floor of rights for workers. The loopholes exist “largely in response to employer concerns over the effects of (universal minimum standards) on industry,” the study says. “In addition to massive lost wages, exemptions create social costs to workers’ health and work-life balance,” said Mary Gellatly of Parkdale Community Legal Services, which runs a workers rights division.

Source: thestar January 30, 2017 02:00 UTC