ONTARIO HR COMPLIANCE UPDATE EN/FR

November 2025: What Ontario Employers & Employees Need to Know

Workplace rules in Ontario continue to shift each year, and November is one of the busiest months for policy, compliance, and HR planning. Whether you are a small business owner trying to stay compliant or an employee navigating workplace challenges, staying informed is one of the best ways to protect yourself.

Here are the most important updates and reminders for November 2025.

1. New AI, Tech & Monitoring Policies Are Becoming Essential

Even though Ontario has not passed formal “AI in the workplace” laws yet, more employers are now required to explain how digital tools are used — especially when those tools influence:

productivity tracking

investigations

performance reviews

scheduling

security monitoring

If your workplace has any monitoring tools, you need a written policy. Employees have the right to know what is being collected, why, and how it may affect them.

Employers: ✔ Add an Electronic Monitoring Policy (mandatory for 25+ employees).

Employees: ✔ Ask for a copy of the policy if tracking or surveillance is new or unclear.

2. Contract Updates Remain Critical — Outdated Clauses Are Still Being Struck Down

Ontario courts continue to strike termination clauses for:

unclear language

outdated terms

“any purpose / at our sole discretion” wording

failing to meet ESA minimums

referencing policies the employee has never seen

If a clause is invalid, the entire contract is invalid. This means employers may owe full common-law notice, not ESA minimums.

Employers: ✔ Ensure every contract uses 2024–2025 compliant language ✔ Do NOT recycle old templates ✔ Provide policies at the same time as the contract

Employees: ✔ If you’re given a contract, always get it reviewed before signing ✔ If terminated, don’t assume the clause is enforceable

I offer free 30-minute reviews for both employers and employees.

3. Workplace Investigations Are Increasing — and Must Be Done Correctly

More Ontario workplaces are being held accountable for failing to investigate complaints of:

harassment

discrimination

bullying

reprisal

off-duty conduct affecting the workplace

The law is clear: If a complaint is made, the employer must investigate—even if the employee “doesn’t want to make it formal.”

Employers: ✔ Have an investigation protocol in place ✔ Use trauma-informed, neutral practices ✔ Document every step

Employees: ✔ Your employer must take your concerns seriously ✔ You cannot be punished for raising a legitimate complaint

4. Mental Health & Accommodation Requests Are Rising

More employees are requesting accommodations tied to:

mental health

stress-related illness

neurodivergence

addiction (recognized as disability)

Employers: ✔ You must explore accommodation options ✔ You cannot dismiss requests without proper assessment

Employees: ✔ You are not required to disclose your diagnosis ✔ You only need to provide functional limitations

5. Policy Refresh Checklist for February

Every Ontario workplace should review:

✔ Harassment & Violence Policy ✔ Health & Safety Policy ✔ Electronic Monitoring Policy ✔ Hybrid / Remote Work Policy ✔ Code of Conduct ✔ Attendance / Absence Management ✔ Progressive Discipline Framework ✔ Performance Management ✔ Accommodation Policy

If any are outdated or incomplete, February is the perfect month to update them.

6. Free Resource: Ontario SMB Compliance Starter Kit

As part of my commitment to supporting Ontario workplaces, I’ve created a free downloadable compliance starter kit for small and medium businesses.

It includes: 📘 Mandatory policies 📘 ESA compliance check 📘 OHSA basics 📘 Workplace investigation requirements 📘 Best practices checklist

Available at www.dndcpd.com — no cost, no obligation.

7. Final Thoughts — Protecting Your Workplace Before Problems Grow

Workplace issues rarely start big — they grow when no one knows what to do next.

My goal with this newsletter is simple: to give employers and employees the clarity they need to stay protected, compliant, and supported.

If you ever need guidance, I offer: 📞 Free 30-minute consultations 🌐 www.dndcpd.com 📩 DM me anytime

🇫🇷 MISE À JOUR SUR LA CONFORMITÉ RH EN ONTARIO — Nov 2025

(Version française)

Novembre 2025 : Ce que les employeurs et employés doivent savoir

Les règles du travail en Ontario continuent d’évoluer rapidement. Novembre est un mois clé pour mettre à jour les politiques, revoir les contrats et assurer la conformité. Voici les points essentiels à connaître ce mois-ci.

1. Politiques sur la surveillance numérique et l’IA

Même si aucune loi provinciale n’encadre encore l’IA, les employeurs doivent maintenant expliquer clairement comment les outils numériques sont utilisés — surtout lorsqu’ils influencent :

l’évaluation du rendement

les enquêtes

la sécurité

la planification

le suivi du travail

Les employés ont le droit de savoir ce qui est surveillé et pourquoi.

2. Les clauses de cessation d’emploi continuent d’être annulées

Les tribunaux invalident toujours les clauses qui :

sont floues

ne respectent pas la LNE

utilisent un langage dépassé

renvoient à des politiques non fournies

Si la clause est invalide → le contrat complet est invalide.

3. Enquêtes obligatoires

Tout signalement de harcèlement ou de violence doit être enquêté — même si l’employé ne souhaite pas “porter plainte officiellement”.

4. Augmentation des demandes d’accommodement

La santé mentale, le stress et la dépendance (considérée comme un handicap) sont maintenant parmi les motifs les plus courants.

5. Liste de mise à jour des politiques

✔ Harcèlement et violence ✔ Santé et sécurité ✔ Surveillance électronique ✔ Travail hybride / à distance ✔ Discipline progressive ✔ Accommodements

6. Ressource gratuite

Téléchargez la Trousse de conformité pour PME de l’Ontario gratuitement sur www.dndcpd.com.

7. Mot de la fin

Mon objectif est de rendre la conformité plus simple et plus humaine, pour les employeurs comme pour les employés.

📞 Consultation gratuite de 30 minutes 🌐 www.dndcpd.com 📩 Message privé accepté en tout temps