What Ontario Employers Need to Know: ESA Changes Coming January 1, 2026

Now, before you know it, January 1, 2026 will be upon us, and those hiring changes to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) will be in force, reshaping hiring practices for employers with 25 or more employees.

The government is introducing these changes to increase transparency, fairness, and accountability in recruitment.

The following is a summary of the changes, and how employers should prepare.