The Ontario Ministry of Labour has prepared and published a new Employment Standards Act, 2000 (“ESA”) poster entitled “Employment Standards in Ontario”. The poster is version 6.0 in a long line of ESA posters and Ontario employers were required to post it in the workplace effective as of May 1, 2015. The poster outlines for employees their rights under the ESA and the requirements of employers under the ESA.

The Ministry’s rules regarding the new ESA poster are as follows:

• The poster must be in English but if the majority workplace language is other than English and if the Ministry has version 6.0 available in that language, then both posters must be posted side by side.
• Version 5.0 should be removed at the time that version 6.0 is posted.
• In addition to posting the poster in the workplace, employers are also required to give a copy of the poster to each employee by June 19, 2015.
• New employees hired after May 20, 2015 must be given a copy of the poster within 30 days of hire.
• The poster may be given to employees in hard copy form, as an email attachment, or as a link to an internet database (but then only if the employer ensures that the employee has reasonable access to the database, a computer and a printer).
• The poster is available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai and Urdu.

An English copy of the poster can be obtained at http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pdf/poster.pdf and a French copy of the poster can be obtained at http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/french/es/pdf/poster.pdf. For copies of the poster in other languages, please go to the following link: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/poster.php.

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