OIT Workplace Relations and Labor Standards Flashcards

Under Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), what is an employer's fundamental duty?

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.

In Ontario, what does the term 'Joint Health and Safety Committee' (JHSC) refer to?

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.

What is the right of a worker under OHSA to refuse work they believe is unsafe, known as?

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.

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?

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.

What does 'constructive dismissal' mean in Ontario labor law?

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.

In Ontario, which organization administers workers' compensation benefits for injured workers in industrial trades?

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.