Employers in Ontario are impacted by a maze of legislation.
Most employers are very aware that the most significant piece of legislation affecting the workplace is the Employment Standards Act.
It is the primary piece of legislation that deals with the employment relationship.
Most employers are also aware of the Occupational Health & Safety Act.
However, many employers believe that it was written just for the large manufacturing operations.
The small offices pose no dangers, so the legislation does not apply.
Right? Very wrong! If you have as few as one employee, you, the employer, have a legislated obligation to provide a safe and healthy work environment.
The Act does apply.
Other pieces of legislation, along with the associated regulations, that impact the workplace in Ontario include:

• the Ontario Human Rights Code or the Canada Human Rights Act for those companies covered by federal legislation
• the Labour Relations Act - the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act
• the Employment Insurance Act
• the Pay Equity Act
• the Canada Elections Act, the Ontario Elections Act and the Ontario Municipal Act
• the Economic Development and Workplace Democracy Act
• the Pension Benefits Act · the Smoke-Free Ontario Act
• the Juries Act
• the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which deals with the issue of privacy and
• numerous industry-specific pieces of legislation.
  

Your employment practices must conform to every piece of legislation that impacts your business.
You also need to continually update your employment policy and procedures manuals with ongoing changes to Ontario and Canadian employment legislation.
Keep in mind that you cannot contract out of your legislated obligations.