On October 28, 2021, the Government of Ontario introduced Bill 38, An Act to amend the Remembrance Week Act, 2016 for first reading. Bill 38 proposes an amendment to the Remembrance Week Act, 2016 to compel employers to let workers wear poppies in the workplace during Remembrance Week (November 5 - November 11). 

Bill 38 was introduced to address a number of highly publicized incidents from November 2020 where certain businesses prohibited employees from wearing poppies in the workplace in the lead up to Remembrance Day. Bill 38 provides for a limited exception to the use of poppies in the workplace where the “wearing of a poppy may pose a danger or hazard to the health, safety or welfare of any person.”

If you have any questions regarding the impact of the proposed changes on your workplace, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our Labour and Employment Law Group.