The new Ontario Employment Standards Act rules remove the requirement for advance notice on temporary layoffs lasting less than 35 weeks, meaning a worker can receive a notice and be laid off the same day.

Stelco, the Hamilton steel plant, plans to reduce its workforce by 300 to 350 employees over a three‑week period. The first batch is expected this week, followed by two more groups in the subsequent weeks.

According to union president Ron Wells, workers already have a general idea of who is at risk, and many have voiced anger about the sudden cuts. He described the situation as a source of anxiety over paying bills and supporting families.

Despite the abrupt dismissals, laid‑off employees will keep their medical benefits for the foreseeable future. If any of the temporary layoffs turn permanent after the 35‑week threshold, Stelco must add an extra 12 weeks of severance pay to any entitlement owed.

The legal shift gives employers more flexibility, but it also places immediate pressure on affected workers, who must scramble for income, retraining or alternative employment while their health coverage remains intact.