Policy manuals, employee handbooks, and the HR policies they need
Your workplace likely looks very different today than it did a few years ago. Employee needs and business priorities constantly evolve, and your policy manual and its policies need to keep up. Updating these policies ensures your organization reflects current workplace standards and supports your team effectively.
HR and health and safety policies shield your business from liability and ensure a safe workplace. When you clearly communicate, consistently apply, and fairly enforce these policies, they protect your employees’ rights, set clear expectations for employees, and maintain fairness across the board.
Policy manual essentials
Do you know which policies your employee handbook needs? With legislation and workplace standards changing frequently, it can be hard to keep everything current. That’s why auditing your employee handbook and policies annually is a best practice. Regular updates allow you to meet legal requirements and adapt to the evolving needs of your employees and organization.
Why strong HR and safety policies matter
Clear policies in your policy manual set expectations and outline acceptable conduct for employees. They help you comply with legislation, meet your obligations, and address the specific needs of your workplace.
HR policies cover crucial areas like work hours, overtime, vacation, performance management, behavioural standards, and disciplinary processes. While certain policies are legislatively required, others provide structure, consistency, and a positive workplace environment.
These policies aren’t about overwhelming employees with rules—they’re about fostering a safe, fair, and healthy workplace. Applying policies consistently ensures everyone adheres to the same standards.
Must-have HR policies
The beginning of the year is the perfect time to review your employee handbook and update your policies to ensure compliance.
If you’re a Canadian employer you’re subject to jursidictional regulations where you operate and certain policies are mandatory. Depending on your organization’s size, industry, or type of work, additional legislated policies may also apply. Beyond these requirements, other common policies can help create a happy and healthy workplace.
Three policies every policy manual should include
Workplace violence and harassment policy
Every employee is entitled to a workplace free from violence and harassment. Clear policies set expectations for appropriate behaviour and establish reporting mechanisms. Learn more about preventing workplace violence and harassment.
Accessible employment policy
An accessibility policy ensures employees with disabilities can participate fully in the workplace. It identifies and removes barriers while addressing diverse needs. Learn more about accessibility and workplace accommodation.
Disconnecting from work policy
In today’s always-connected world, employees need space to unplug. A disconnecting from work policy creates boundaries and supports work–life balance. Learn more about the benefits of disconnecting from work.
WHMIS training and the latest updates
WHMIS changes for 2025
The 2025 WHMIS amendments aim to enhance worker safety by requiring more detailed health and safety information on labels and safety data sheets. These updates help workers better understand and protect themselves from workplace hazards.
Coming into force in 2025
Amendments to the Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) came into force on December 15, 2022, to better align Canadian legislation with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).
A three-year transition period, ending December 14, 2025, allows suppliers, employers, and workers to adapt to the changes. This ensures nationwide consistency through coordination across federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdictions.
WHMIS compliance during the transition period
During the three-year transition, regulated parties may comply with either the former or amended HPR, but not both. Hazard classifications, safety data sheets (SDSs), and labels (if applicable) must fully follow the chosen version of the regulation. Employers should work with their suppliers to understand what version of HPR their SDSs and labels comply with, make any changes to ensure consistency, and plan for the transition by the compliance date as necessary.
Be ready to demonstrate which version your product complies with if requested.
Key updates to WHMIS for 2025
The recent amendments bring several key updates: clearer and more precise provisions, new required elements for safety data sheets, and the introduction of a new physical hazard class: chemicals under pressure. Additionally, there’s now a hazard category for non-flammable aerosols and subcategories for flammable gases. Check out the points below for a detailed breakdown of these changes.
Amendments to the Hazardous Products Regulations
Administrative updates to WHMIS for 2025
- Transition period: A new, unified three-year transition is in force for all stakeholders.
New WHMIS hazard classes and categories
- Chemicals under pressure: Introduced as a new physical hazard class.
- Aerosols: A new Category 3 class has been added for non-flammable aerosol products.
New WHMIS classification criteria
- Flammable gases: Includes new flammable gases subcategories under Category 1.
- Pyrophoric gases: The pyrophoric gases hazard class is repealed, and any products classified in the repealed class are now under new subcategories within flammable gases – category 1A.
- Water-activated toxicants: When substances and mixtures meet criteria to be classified as “acute toxicity (inhalation),” and the substances or mixtures are also water-activated toxicants, their classification is now based on the acute inhalation toxicity.
- Health hazard classes that have categories and subcategories: Mixtures may now be classified into subcategories when sufficient data is available. In the previous version, only classification criteria for categories, not subcategories, was provided.
- Reproductive toxicity – category 2: Clarification added to ensure adverse effects observed in humans and animals must not be considered as secondary non-specific consequences of other toxic effects.
New WHMIS safety data sheet and product label requirements
- Combustible dust: New hazard statement option added: “May form explosible dust–air mixture.”
Changes to WHMIS safety data sheets
- Concentration ranges: Narrower concentration ranges that fall within one of the prescribed ranges are permitted for inclusion on SDSs.
- Disclosure of hazardous ingredients: All hazardous ingredients in a mixture at concentration levels above relevant cutoff levels must be disclosed, even if the ingredients don’t affect the mixture’s classification.
Changes to WHMIS exemptions for confidential business information
- Rules for situations where hazardous products are sold to employers who file confidential business information claims have been updated to require the inclusion of information beyond the product identifier and initial supplier identifier on SDSs and labels.
WHMIS updates for significant new data
- When a supplier must provide, obtain, or prepare a written document to reflect significant new data, it must include changes to the SDS or label that are required resulting from the new data and the date the data becomes available.
These updates aim to improve clarity, safety, and compliance for workers. Be sure to review the Hazardous Products Act and the Hazardous Products Regulations in detail, and consult a trusted HR professional or legal counsel before making any changes to workplace policies.
Get health and safety and HR solutions you can trust
Citation Canada has helped hundreds of organizations stay on top of developing legislation while prioritizing employee growth and development. Access up-to-date HR content, use award-winning HR software, and assign online training courses through our secure HRIS. Our safety training and monthly webinars hosted by industry experts make it easy to support your team with our conveniently priced plans.
Have more questions about HR policies? Download our guide!
Whether you’re creating your first policy manual or enhancing your organization’s current one, this guide was created by our experts to help organizations create and implement customized policies that maintain compliance and meet an organization’s needs. Explore the 16 Core HR policies every Ontario employer should have, learn which ones they must have, and get the latest WHMIS updates for 2025.