Effective July 1, 2025, Ontario Regulation 285/01 under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) has been amended to introduce new employer requirements for providing key employment information to new hires.
Under the new rules, employers with 25 or more employees must provide new employees with a written document containing specific employment details before their first day of work, or as soon as reasonably possible thereafter if advance delivery is not practicable.
The required information includes the below:
- The employer's legal name and any operating or business name used, if different;
- The employer’s contact information, including address, phone number, and one or more contact names;
- A general description of the work location where the employee will initially perform their duties;
- The starting wage rate, whether hourly, salaried, or commission based;
- The pay period and designated payday, as per ESA requirements; and
- A general description of the employee’s anticipated hours of work.
These new provisions do not apply to:
- Assignment employees (for example, those hired through temporary help agencies); and
- Employers with fewer than 25 employees on the new employee’s first workday.
While these changes do not impose direct obligations on payroll, they may become relevant if payroll professionals are involved in employee onboarding, employment documentation, or ensuring ESA compliance. It is important for cross-functional teams, particularly HR and payroll, to be aligned in implementing these changes effectively.