The federal minimum wage will increase in Canada from $16.65 to $17.30 per hour on April 1, 2024, according to a government press release. This adjustment reflects the 3.9% increase in Canada’s annual average Consumer Price Index for 2023 and is aligned with inflation.
Approximately 30,000 employees in the federally regulated private sector will benefit from this raise. Employers are required to adjust their payroll information accordingly to ensure that all employees, including interns, receive the correct hourly wage starting April 1. Should the provincial or territorial minimum wage rate exceed the federal rate, employers must pay the higher of the two.
The Government of Canada introduced the federal minimum wage in 2021. It is adjusted annually based on Canada’s annual average Consumer Price Index from the previous calendar year. In 2022, the federal minimum wage was increased to $15.55, and in 2023, it was increased to $16.65.
In the U.S., 25 states are raising their minimum wage in 2024, with baseline pay bumping up to at least $16 an hour in California, Washington and parts of New York.
Phoenix Passes Worker Heat Safety Ordinance
As reported by The Guardian, the Phoenix city council passed an ordinance in a unanimous 7-0 vote on Tuesday, March 26 requiring employers to provide access to rest, shade, water and air conditioning, as well as training on recognizing signs of heat stress. The rule applies to city contractors and their subcontractors who work outdoors, including construction and airport workers.
The rule would also ensure access to air conditioning in the driver compartment of vehicles by no later than May 1, 2025 and would apply to an estimated 10,000 workers under city contracts, according to deputy city manager Lori Bays.
Although there are federal recommended standards in place for occupational heat stress, only five states currently have standards covering heat safety rules: California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington.
Report: AI ‘Apocalypse’ Could Wipe Out 8 Million U.K. Jobs
Fortune reports that as many as 8 million U.K. workers are at risk of losing their jobs to artificial intelligence (AI) with current government policy.
According to a report published Wednesday by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), AI already impacts 11% of tasks done by U.K. staff, a figure that could rise to almost 60% if firms integrate the technology more deeply. Part-time, entry level and back-office jobs such as customer service are most at risk, but higher-paying work will increasingly be affected.
Women and young people could be more at risk to be displaced by AI, reported Fortune. Women are disproportionately employed in those tasks that are most impacted by the technology, while companies could post fewer graduate vacancies and choose to rely more on AI for entry-level tasks, the IPPR claims.
Stellantis Lays Off 400 Salaried U.S. Workers
Stellantis is laying off roughly 400 salaried employees in the U.S. in its engineering, technology and software units to cut costs as the automaker faces what it calls challenging market conditions.
CNBC reported layoffs would affect about 2% of employees in those units “after rigorous organizational reviews.” Stellantis employed 11,800 U.S. salaried employees as of the end of last year.
The job cuts are effective March 31.
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