Starting January 1st, 2026, Ontario companies will be required to update all candidates they interview about their application status within 45 days – regardless of whether a hiring decision has been finalized. Fail to meet this requirement, and you risk facing formal complaints through the Ministry of Labour.
Why This Goes Beyond Legal Compliance
During my time running Boost Agents, our recruitment team established a practice of touching base with candidates every few days throughout active hiring processes. This wasn’t driven by any legal obligation, but rather our recognition that candidate treatment was a direct reflection of our organizational values, reputation, and ability to attract top talent in the future.
Consider the candidate’s perspective for a moment – they’ve arranged time away from their current role to meet with you. They’ve invested hours researching your organization, crafting thoughtful responses, perhaps even purchasing professional attire to make the right impression. They’ve become emotionally invested in the possibility of contributing to your team’s success.
A candidate once shared with me her experience from a previous job search that perfectly illustrates this point. She had interviewed for a senior marketing position and felt so enthusiastic about the role that she voluntarily spent her entire weekend developing a comprehensive 90-day strategy for the position. After three weeks of complete silence from the employer, she finally received an impersonal, clearly templated rejection email. She expressed to me how deflated she felt – not necessarily because of the rejection itself, but because her substantial effort seemed to have gone completely unnoticed. Where is that candidate today? She’s serving as CMO at a successful organization. And that company that failed to communicate properly? According to her professional network, they struggled for several additional months to successfully fill the position.
These scenarios play out constantly across the job market. At minimum, employers should keep candidates informed about their status. This becomes even more critical when candidates have demonstrated exceptional interest and invested significant effort to showcase their enthusiasm for your opportunity.
The Etiquette Your Team Needs to Master
Here are the communication fundamentals every hiring team should implement:
End interviews with clarity: Before candidates leave your office, clearly outline what happens next and when they can expect to hear from you. “We’re conducting interviews through Friday and will have decisions finalized by next Tuesday” removes all uncertainty from the process.
Be honest about timeline changes: When your decision process gets delayed (and it frequently does), proactively contact your candidates. “Hi Ben, our timeline has shifted due to some internal changes. We now expect to have feedback by end of next week, instead of this Friday.” Candidates value transparency over false hope – and it helps them manage other opportunities if they’re considering your position.
Make rejections more human: Avoid the generic “We’ve decided to move forward with other candidates.” Instead, try: “While your experience in content management was impressive, we’ve chosen someone whose background in food-specific content management aligns more closely with our needs.” It’s honest, respectful, and actually helpful.
Close the loop completely: Even when someone withdraws from consideration, send a brief note: “Thanks for letting us know. We’d love to keep you in mind for future opportunities.” You never know when they’ll be perfect for something else.
What This Really Means for Your Business
This new legislation simply codifies what effective employers have always understood. When candidates feel valued and respected – regardless of the final outcome – they become advocates for your organization. When they feel ignored or dismissed, they share those experiences as well.
In today’s competitive talent landscape, organizations that consistently demonstrate respect and maintain transparent communication will always hold a significant advantage. This new legislation makes it official: treating people well throughout the hiring process isn’t just sound business practice – it’s now a legal requirement.
How does your organization currently manage candidate follow-up communications?
About the Author
Trina Boos is the Founder and CEO of Boost Academy of Excellence, where she helps professionals master workplace etiquette and business skills for today’s evolving work environment. Drawing from her experience as former CEO of Boost Agents, Trina has placed thousands of professionals in leading organizations across North America.
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