NDP Leader Howard Hampton today introduced a Private Member’s Bill that amends the Ontario Employment Standards Act to expand employer obligations to provide laid-off workers’ with severance pay and make other changes to treat laid-off workers fairly.

“This is about fairness and security. As hundreds of jobs disappear on a daily basis and Ontario spirals toward ‘have-not’ status, workers are losing their livelihoods,” said Hampton.

Hampton was joined at a press conference by workers who are being laid off next week at H.J. Jones-Sons, a London packaging manufacturer. Workers were given termination notices effective May 14, but the company is refusing to pay severance to its employees under the terms of the Ontario Employment Standards Act.

Currently under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, in cases where a company has less than less than 50 employees and a payroll of less than $2.5 million, the company has no obligations or responsibilities to the employees for severance pay.

Under Hampton’s bill, companies with 25 or more employees and a payroll of $1-million or more would be required to pay severance.

“With more than 200,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs lost across Ontario and more on the way, workers need to be rewarded for their commitment and hard work, not penalized for it,” said Hampton.