Canadian Payroll Reporter

Payroll Reporter R adian a www.payroll-reporter.com March 2015 March 2015 B.C. group calls for $15 minimum wage B.C. group calls for $15 minimum wage Campaign comes on the heels of moves by some U.S. cities Campaign comes on the heels of moves by some U.S. cities BY SHEILA BRAWN THE BC FEDERATION of La- bour has launched a campaign called "Fight for $15" in an effort to increase the minimum wage rate in British Columbia to $15 an hour. The general minimum wage rate has been $10.25 since May 2012. The rate for liquor servers is $9 per hour. To date, the pro- vincial government has not an- nounced any rate changes. "Raising the minimum wage is an important piece of reducing poverty levels in British Colum- bia," says Irene Lanzinger, presi- dent of the federation, which represents more than 500,000 members from affiliated unions in the province. She adds that an increase to $15 would take mini- mum wage workers' pay to about 10 per cent above the poverty line in the province. To promote the campaign, the federation is sponsoring an event highlighting a minimum wage issue on the 15th day of every month this year. It has also started a petition to get the gov- ernment to raise the rate. So far, the petition has garnered more than 21,000 signatures. The campaign follows an un- successful initiative last year by the Ontario Federation of Labour to get the government there to raise the wage to $14. On a national level, federal Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair has promised that, if elected, an NDP government would implement a $15-an- hour minimum wage for fed- erally regulated employees. Since 1996, federal workers have been subject to the mini- mum wage rate in effect in the Federal Reminder: New Canada Labour Code holiday pay rules in force this month Effective March 16, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will implement new Canada Labour Code rules governing the way federally regulated employers compensate employees for statutory holidays. Employees will no longer be required to work at least 15 of the 30 days before a holiday to qualify for statutory holiday pay. In- stead, the new rules will require employees to be employed by their see LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP on page 7 PM #40065782 Legislative Roundup Changes in payroll laws and regulations from across Canada News In Brief pg. 4 CPA calls for electronic T4s | Ontario pension plan could hurt existing plans | Average weekly earnings unchanged | Unemployment drops Ask an expert pg. 5 Paying a retiring allowance in advance | Are overpayments taxable benefi ts? | Reduced EI premium rate Ontario employment Ontario employment standards puts focus standards puts focus on good record-keeping on good record-keeping BY SHEILA BRAWN WITH NEW RULES now in effect in Ontario for employ- ees making claims for unpaid wages, now is a good time for payroll departments to review practises and record-keeping policies to make sure they are solid, advises an employment law lawyer. On Feb. 20, the provincial government implemented amendments to the Employ- ment Standards Act, 2000, that remove a previous cap of $10,000 on the amount of un- paid wages an employee could recover through Employment Standards. They also increase the time limit for employees to recover wages from six months see MORE on page 6 see CONTRASTING on page 2 Credit: Rick Wilking (Reuters) A girl holds up signs during a rally to show support for Walmart workers on Black Friday outside the Walmart store in Lakewood, Colo., in November 2014. The signs refer to the strikers' demand to have a US$15 minimum wage for Walmart employees. Electronic pay statements becoming the new norm pg. 3 Use of printed statements has dropped 3 per cent every year since 2011: ADP

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