As National Trucking Week unfolds, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is highlighting the trucking industry’s contributions while focusing on the issue of employee misclassification in the sector.
ESDC released new resources designed to help both employers and employees understand their rights and obligations under the Code. These include the ‘awareness kit’ and a video titled “Misclassification: know your rights.”
The resources provide information on what employee misclassification is, how it impacts truck drivers, and how to identify and report it. They also explain the consequences for employers who misclassify workers and clarify the differences between employees in federally regulated industries and independent contractors.
This follows legislative changes that came into force on June 20, aimed at strengthening the prohibition against misclassification by presuming employee status for workers in the road transportation industry, including gig workers. These changes ensure that all workers in the sector can access the full range of protections and rights under the Canada Labor Code, covering industrial relations, occupational health and safety, and labor standards, ESDC reports.
It encourages stakeholders to contact the Labor Program directly at 800‑641‑4049 for more information.
