Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 (Bill 149)

Ontario Bill 149 Update: Enacts Pay Transparency and AI Disclosure for Job Postings

On March 21, 2024, Ontario passed the Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 (Bill 149), marking a significant milestone in employment standards legislation. Among its changes, Bill 149 introduces new requirements for job postings with emphasis on pay transparency and disclosure of artificial intelligence (AI) usage in recruitment processes. And  amendments to vacation pay and wage protection rules.

Here’s a breakdown of the key changes we can expect from Bill 149:

Pay Transparency: Employers advertising job vacancies publicly will be obliged to include information on compensation. 

AI Disclosure: Employers using AI in applicant screening or selection processes must disclose this practice in job postings. 

Employers will also be required to retain copies of publicly advertised job postings and related application forms for three years.

With these changes, Bill 149 introduces alterations to vacation pay and wage protection rules:

Vacation Pay: Effective June 21, 2024, employees may agree to alternative methods of vacation pay disbursement with their employer using a written agreement.

Wage Protection: Immediate changes include the prohibition of unpaid trial shifts and deductions from wages due to customer non-payment in certain establishments. Effective June 21, 2024, regulations on tip and gratuity payment methods will be enforced.

For guidance on implementing the changes of Bill 149 in your workplace, contact a member of our LinkHR Team at https://www.linkhr.ca/contact-us/.

Please refer to the Bill for the exact criteria for compliance, exemptions, and detailed definitions.  Stay tuned for updates on this blog.