An Ontario Private Member’s Bill, introduced on September 20, 2012, seeks to protect gas station attendant’s safety and their income.
The Bill, introduced by Liberal MPP Mike Colle, is in response to the tragic death of gas station attendant Jayesh Prajapati whom police say died trying to stop a vehicle from leaving the gas station without paying for fuel. According to a CBC report, Mr. Colle lives in the area where the gas station is located and knew the victim.
The Bill would amend the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act to require that the employer of a gas station attendant ensure that customers “provide a credit card, debit card, cash or other method of payment” before pumping their gas. It would also give the government power to make a regulation requiring specific safety training for gas station attendants.
The Bill would also amend the Employment Standards Act to prohibit employers from penalizing gas station attendants – such as by docking their wages – where fuel is stolen on their shift. Surprisingly, the Bill would impose fines of up to $1 million for repeat violators of the anti-docking law, which is double the maximum fine for other violations of the Employment Standards Act.
The Bill received first reading on September 20th. Stay tuned for further developments.
Click here to read the Bill.
