Vulnerable workers and precarious work : Travailleurs vulnérables et travail précaire : rapport final

The mandate of the LCO is to recommend law reform measures to enhance the legal system’s relevance, effectiveness and accessibility; improve the administration of justice through the clarification and simplification of the law; consider the use of technology to enhance access to justice; stimulate critical legal debate; and support scholarly research. [...] After reviewing reforms to the ESA, we recommend that the Ontario government in consultation with stakeholders update, review and streamline the exemptions within the ESA and related regulations, including occupational specific exemptions and that the review develop and use principles with a view to ensuring that justifications for exemptions be balanced against the need to reduce precarious work [...] These changes in the nature of work and the characteristics of the emerging class of workers engaged in precarious work led to the Law Commission of Ontario’s (LCO) project on Vulnerable Workers and Precarious Work. [...] Furthermore, some workers undoubtedly choose this type of work characterized by lack of for the flexibility it offers.8 On the other hand, many workers at the lower end of the continuity, low wages, wage and skill spectrum are losing ground in insecure employment they do not choose lack of benefits and and struggling to make a decent wage.9 The nature of precarious work has also been possibly grea [...] This Report will outline the extent of the problem, who it affects number of employed and how, and will suggest steps for the short and long-term that can be taken to Canadians has returned respond to the needs of vulnerable workers.