OIT OIT Workplace Relations and Labor Standards 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), what is an employer's fundamental duty?
- To take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect workers (Correct answer)
- To provide tools at no cost to all employees
- To guarantee employment for a minimum of one year
- To conduct weekly safety inspections without worker involvement
Correct answer: To take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect workers
OHSA places a duty on employers to take every reasonable precaution to protect the health and safety of workers in the workplace.
Question 2: In Ontario, what does the term 'Joint Health and Safety Committee' (JHSC) refer to?
- A workplace committee with equal employer and worker representation that monitors health and safety (Correct answer)
- A government inspection body that audits workplaces annually
- A union-only safety oversight group
- An insurance company panel that assesses workplace injury claims
Correct answer: A workplace committee with equal employer and worker representation that monitors health and safety
A JHSC is a bipartite (equal employer and worker representation) committee required by OHSA in workplaces with 20 or more workers to identify and address safety hazards.
Question 3: What is the right of a worker under OHSA to refuse work they believe is unsafe, known as?
- Right to refuse unsafe work (Correct answer)
- Right to resign with cause
- Right to arbitration
- Right to overtime pay
Correct answer: Right to refuse unsafe work
OHSA grants workers the explicit right to refuse work they believe is likely to endanger themselves or another worker without fear of reprisal.
Question 4: Under the Ontario Employment Standards Act (ESA), what is the minimum notice period an employer must give a worker before termination without cause after 5 years of service?
- 5 weeks (Correct answer)
- 1 week
- 2 weeks
- 3 months
Correct answer: 5 weeks
Under the ESA, workers with 5 or more years of service are entitled to at least 5 weeks of written notice (or pay in lieu) upon termination without cause.
Question 5: What does 'constructive dismissal' mean in Ontario labor law?
- When an employer makes a fundamental change to employment conditions forcing the worker to resign (Correct answer)
- When a worker is terminated for cause with documented performance issues
- When a worker chooses early retirement
- When a layoff becomes permanent after 35 weeks
Correct answer: When an employer makes a fundamental change to employment conditions forcing the worker to resign
Constructive dismissal occurs when an employer unilaterally makes a significant change to the fundamental terms of employment, effectively forcing the employee to leave.
Question 6: In Ontario, which organization administers workers' compensation benefits for injured workers in industrial trades?
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) (Correct answer)
- Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
- Employment Insurance (EI) Canada
- Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB)
Correct answer: Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
The WSIB administers Ontario's workers' compensation system, providing wage replacement, medical, and rehabilitation benefits to injured workers.
OIT OIT Workplace Relations and Labor Standards 1
Under Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), what is an employer's fundamental duty?