ALT WHY WE TOOK ISSUE WITH FIFA’S ‘volunteer program’ Recently, we posted criticism of FIFA & the City of Toronto and got feedback. To be clear: We’re not blaming volunteers. They deserve better! We’re calling out the rise of unpaid work and the laws that allow it.

ALT WHAT WE HEARD: “The positions were clearly labelled as ‘volunteer’ roles. “You can’t accept a role and then demand to be paid.” “People knew what they were getting themselves into.” We can’t sign away our rights It doesn’t matter if you signed an agreement stating you’re a volunteer. Nobody can sign away their rights provided under the Ontario Employment Standards Act (ESA). If you signed up to be a volunteer, but your working conditions are that of an employee, then you are likely misclassified and must be treated as an employee protected by the ESA.

ALT Did you know? In 2022 the Ontario Supreme Court approved a settlement in a class-action lawsuit over volunteer misclassification, essentially agreeing the “volunteers” were actually employees. >> 1,170 misclassified workers won $450,000. In this case, the company tightly controlled how “volunteers” worked and required them to: * sign “volunteer agreements” stating they were not employees * go through a six-step interview process * work 14 hour days, and * do work that was essential to business operations *Montaque v. Handa Travel Student Trip Ltd., 2020 ONSC 6459 Sound familiar? We think so too.

ALT STOP WAGE THEFT MEANS: CLOSING GAPS IN THE LAW Until the Ontario government tightens the laws that should protect us, bad bosses will keep stealing wages by: MISCLASSIFYING employees as self-employed, independent contractors to deny our rights. Hiding behind LAYERED BUSINESSES (subcontracting) to avoid their responsibilities. “In subcontractor situations, I am stuck at the bottom. I cannot go any higher. I can’t go after the employer at the top who enables the whole thing. I can only go after the smallest fish at the bottom. That’s an order (to pay) that’s probably going to go unpaid.” - Former Employment Standards Officer Read the report: The crisis of wage theft in Ontario WorkersActionCentre.org/stop-wage-theft

ALT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS: 76% of workers surveyed* reported being misclassified as an independent contractor. *Workers’ Action Centre Wage Theft Report THE MINISTER OF LABOUR MUST: Make companies at the top responsible The company using sub-contractors should be responsible for unpaid wages, when workers are not paid properly. Stop employers from calling workers independent contractors Employers misclassify workers to deny us our rights under the Employment Standards Act (ESA). Prevent employers from evading the law Too many employers use "shell" companies, temp agencies, or other tactics to avoid their legal responsibilities for workers’ wages, health, and safety. Take Action: Send a letter to our government now WorkersActionCentre.org/stop-wage-theft

ALT EQUAL PAY DAY April 14, 2026 3 ACTIONS to close the pay gap

ALT ACTION 1 Equal Pay for Equal Work * Women and racialized workers are more likely to work in part-time, temporary and contract jobs. But nothing in our basic labour laws makes it illegal to pay part-time and temporary workers less than full-time workers! * This means you could have started a job at the same time as a full-time worker, and be doing the same job, but are paid less! * Equal pay for Equal Work laws close the pay gap by ensuring all workers are paid the same if they do the same job, regardless of the job title.

ALT ACTION 2 Paid Personal Emergency Leaves * Women are more likely to be the ones to provide care for children and seniors. * Yet because Ontario has zero paid days off for family emergencies, and zero paid sick days, women are often the ones forced to take unpaid time off to care for their family. * Paid personal emergency leave and paid sick days close the pay gap as women would not have to choose between getting paid and taking care of their family.

ALT ACTION 3 Pay Transparency * Pay transparency laws help close the pay gap by shining a light on patterns of discrimination in our workplaces. * For example, two people doing the same job at the same company might unfairly be paid differently. Or white men may be more likely to be hired or promoted into higher paying jobs than women and racialized workers. * With pay transparency laws, workers have the information we need to hold these companies accountable.