Dear Working Wise:
I heard that major changes are being made to Employment Standards. How is this going to affect me as a business owner? Signed, Curious
Dear Curious:
Alberta’s workplaces have evolved since the Employment Standards Code was last updated in 1988.
The Government of Alberta consulted with employers and labour organizations and collected nearly 5,000 survey responses from Albertans on our Employment Standards legislation.
Government used that input to update the Employment Standards Code to support family-friendly workplaces, modernize the decades-old legislation and align the minimum employment standards with the rest of Canada.
The changes and additions to the Employment Standards Code will come into effect on January 1, 2018.
There are too many changes to list here. You can see a summary list of changes at alberta.ca/employment-standards-changes.aspx. They will affect:
Leave eligibility
Compassionate care leave
Maternity/parental leave
Rest periods
Compressed work weeks
Deductions
Minimum wage
Overtime
General holiday and general holiday pay
Vacations and vacation pay
Termination and temporary layoffs
Youth employment
New unpaid leaves will be available, including:
Long-Term Illness and Injury Leave
Personal and Family Responsibility Leave
Bereavement Leave
Domestic Violence Leave
Citizenship Ceremony Leave
Critical Illness of a Child
Death or disappearance of a Child
Enforcement and administration of Employment Standards will also be enhanced.
To learn more about the Employment Standards changes, visit alberta.ca/employment-standards-changes.aspx.
Do you have a work-related question? Send your questions to Working Wise, at charles.strachey@gov.ab.ca. Charles Strachey is a manager with Alberta Community and Social Services. This column is provided for general information.