Big changes coming to the Canada Labour Code

• Employers will be required to provide a minimum of 96 hours’ written notice before the start of an employee’s first work period or shift.
• The employer will have to give the employee 24 hours’ notice when changing an existing shift.

• Employees will be allowed a 30-minute unpaid break for every 5 hours of consecutive work. 
• If an employee must remain available to work during that break, it must be a paid break. 
• Employees are entitled to 8 consecutive hours free between each shift / work period.  

• Employees can refuse to work overtime when the overtime conflicts with family responsibilities (e.g. caring for a sick family member, picking up a child from school). 
• However, the employee must have taken reasonable steps to find a way to fulfil a family responsibility in a way that does not prevent them from working overtime.  

• Employees will have the ability to ask for flexible work arrangements; for example, they can request to change the number of hours worked per week, changes to their schedule, or changes to their work location. 
• Employees will be protected from reprisals as a result of this request.

Learn more
 

• Vacation entitlements will increase: 
  • 1 year of service: 2 weeks’ vacation (or 4% vacation pay)
  • 5 years of service: 3 weeks’ vacation (or 6% vacation pay)
  • 10 years of service: 4 weeks’ vacation (or 8% vacation pay)
• All employees are entitled to holiday pay. There is no longer a minimum 30-day service requirement.  

• Employees will be entitled to 5 days of personal leave annually, with the first 3 days being paid after 3 months of continuous employment. 
• Employees will be eligible for this leave under the following circumstances:
  • Treating personal illness or injury.
  • Carrying out responsibilities related to the health or care of any of their family members.
  • Carrying out responsibilities related to the education of any of their family members who are under 18 years of age.
  • Addressing any urgent matter concerning themselves or their family members.
  • Attending their citizenship ceremony.

• Employees will be eligible for up to 17 weeks of unpaid leave for the following circumstances: 
  • Personal illness or injury
  • Organ or tissue donation
  • Medical appointments during work hours
• If an employee is absent for 3 or more consecutive days, the employer can request for a medical note issued by a health care professional. 
   

• Employees will be allowed 10 days of leave, including 5 days of paid leave, for victims of family violence.

• Employees will no longer be required to complete 6 months of continuous service before being entitled to maternity leave, parental leave, a leave related to critical illness or a leave related to death or disappearance.

Learn more about the leaves of absences.

• New graduated notice of termination (or pay in lieu) based on continuous length of service:
  • 3 months = 2 weeks’ notice
  • 3 years =  3 weeks’ notice  
  • 4 years =  4 weeks’ notice  
  • 5 years = 5 weeks’ notice  
  • 6 years =  6 weeks’ notice  
  • 7 years =  7 weeks’ notice  
  • 8 years =  8 weeks’ notice  

• Interns working in federally regulated workplaces must receive full occupational health and safety and labour standards protections, and in most circumstances, must be paid.

• Federally regulated workplaces must be free from harassment and violence.

• Employees will be allowed to recover work-related expenses. 

• Increase of minimum age for work in hazardous occupations from 17 to 18 years. 

• No employee (including part-time, casual, contract or seasonal) may be paid less than what is paid to full-time employees who perform the same job.

• Employers with 10 or more employees will be required to establish and enact a pay equity plan. 
• More specifically, employers will be responsible to provide male and female employees with equal pay for work performed which is of equal value.