Ontario has introduced legislation that would establish employment standards for gig workers, including minimum wage and regular paydays, but critics fear the plan will leave digital app workers with fewer rights than those in other jobs.
The Digital Platform Workers’ Rights Act will be separate from the Employment Standards Act.
It proposes to cover ride hailing and delivery drivers, as well as others who are offered work assignments through digital platforms.
“We’ve seen huge shifts around traditional labour markets, and as we build a resilient economy, our government must keep pace with those changes,” Premier Doug Ford said at a Toronto announcement where he and Labour Minister Monte McNaughton announced the details.
The gig economy is a growing employment sector, Ford said, adding that the province is speaking with those workers “and understanding how we can create the environment to help them thrive.”
In an interview before the announcement, McNaughton said the legislation will establish foundational rights for gig workers in a Canadian first, though he expects other provinces will follow Ontario’s lead.
“No gig worker should make less than minimum wage,” he said.
“No gig worker should be fired without notice or explanation. And no one, period, should have to travel out of Canada to resolve a workplace dispute or sign a contract they don’t understand. That’s the essence of the changes we’re making to fix these injustices that are happening.”
Proposed rights within...
A California lawmaker is suing Sacramento police for falsely accusing her of driving under the influence, saying the case may have been motivated by her tough-on-cops legislation or possibly becaus...