Ontario has a new ‘employee monitoring’ policy & here’s what to know

If your boss is tracking you while you work, they’ll now be required to let you know. Ontario is the first province in Canada to implement a workplace electronic monitoring policy for all companies with 25 or more employees.

The new policy requires Ontario employers to create a written policy in place that states whether or not their employees are being electronically monitored.

Companies had until this past Tuesday, October 11th to create the policy, which must include a description of when, why, and how employees are monitored, and any changes to the policy that are made from year to year.

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That includes detailed information about whether their employees’ electronics are being tracked, including cell phones, computers, and other devices.

Employers now have 30 calendar days to share the policy with their staff.

However, the provincial government says that this new rule does not establish new rights for employees, such as privacy rights or the right not to be monitored.

Companies are still allowed to track your productivity, only now they’re required to tell you about it.

The policy doesn’t apply to any Crown corporations and their employees, like the Bank of Canada or Canada Post.

This new rule is part of Ontario’s Working for Workers Act, which aims to protect workers from unfair treatment and burnout.

Also part of this Act is the “right to disconnect” policy, which prevents employers from contacting their staff after hours.