Canadian Payroll Reporter

7 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2016 CPR | April 2016 Legislative Roundup The government has also amended the province's Em- ployment Standards Code to repeal exemptions from a num- ber of provisions for employees employed on a farm or ranch whose jobs are directly related to the primary production of eggs, milk, grain, seeds, fruit, veg- etables, honey, livestock, bees, poultry, etc. The employment standards amendments are expected to take effect sometime this spring after the government holds con- sultations with industry groups on exemptions that may be re- quired in unique situations. Once in force, these workers will be protected by the code's provisions for hours of work, overtime, statutory holidays, vacations and minimum wage, among others. For more information on the workers' compensation changes, refer to the WCB's website www. wcb.ab.ca/employers/farm_ owners.asp. Manitoba New rules for compassion- ate care leave The Manitoba Legislative As- sembly recently passed amend- ments to the province's Em- ployment Standards Code that increase the amount of unpaid time off work employees may take for compassionate care leave from eight weeks to 28 weeks as of April 1. At publication time, the legis- lation had passed third reading, but needed royal assent before taking effect. The government says it made the change to align the code with recent amendments to employ- ment insurance (EI) legislation that increased the number of weeks in which eligible individu- als may receive EI benefits for compassionate care leave from six weeks to 26 weeks. The amendments, which were included in Bill 8, The Employ- ment Standards Code Amend- ment Act (Leave for Victims of Domestic Violence, Leave for Serious Injury or Illness and Ex- tension of Compassionate Care Leave), also raise the eligibility requirement for the leave from 30 days of employment with an employer to 90 days. They also extend the period in which employees may take a compassionate care leave from 26 weeks to 52 weeks and clarify that employees do not need an- other medical certificate if they take a compassionate care leave after the end of the 26-week pe- riod set out in the original medi- cal certificate. New Brunswick February holiday possible New Brunswick may join other provinces in Canada in provid- ing a holiday in February. The government plans to con- duct an analysis into whether it should introduce a February holiday, looking at whether the holiday should be a paid statu- tory holiday and how it would affect employers and employees. Reminder: Minimum wage increased April 1 The general minimum wage rate in New Brunswick rose to $10.65 an hour from $10.30 on April 1. The government says it plans to raise the general minimum wage rate to $11 an hour by 2017. In future years, it will index the minimum wage rate. Nova Scotia Reminder: Minimum wage rates went up The general minimum wage rate in Nova Scotia rose to $10.70 an hour from $10.60 on April 1. The minimum wage rate for inexpe- rienced workers increased from $10.10 an hour to $10.20. The "inexperienced worker" rate only applies to employ- ees who have worked for their employer for fewer than three months and have fewer than three months of total experience in the kind of work the employer hired them to do. Nunavut Reminder: Minimum wage increased April 1 The territory's minimum wage rate rose to $13 an hour from $11 on April 1. It is the first increase in the minimum wage in Nuna- vut since 2011. Prince Edward Island Workers' comp coverage changes Beginning next year, farm em- ployers in the province will have to register for workers' compen- sation coverage, the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) recently announced. Currently, farm employers may apply for optional coverage. The board says it consulted with representatives in the farm- ing industry about the switch from optional to mandatory cov- erage. Before implementing the change on Jan. 1, the board says there will be a "comprehensive information and education pro- cess" to help employers under- stand their new responsibilities. Quebec Reminder: Minimum wage rate going up The province's minimum wage rates are going up on May 1. The general minimum wage rate will rise from $10.55 an hour to $10.75. This rate will also apply for employees in certain sectors of the clothing industry. The rate for employees who receive tips will increase from $9.05 an hour to $9.20. The minimum wage rate for raspberry pickers will in- crease from $3.12 per kilogram to $3.18, while the rate for work- ers who pick strawberries will rise from 83 cents a kilogram to 85 cents. Yukon Reminder: Minimum wage rose April 1 On April 1, the territorial government increased the Yu- kon minimum wage rate to $11.07 an hour from $10.86. The minimum wage rate is indexed to the consumer price index and is adjusted every year on April 1. and terminations not related to the leave. As with other leaves covered under the code, payroll and hu- man resources departments would have to ensure that they keep good records relating to domestic violence and serious illness and injury leaves, includ- ing the dates and number of days taken off for each leave. If an employee is paid for time off during a domestic violence leave, payroll and HR would also have to keep records of the dates and number of days of paid leave and the amount paid to the em- ployee for each paid day off. New confidentiality stan- dards, which are expected to come into effect at the same time as the leave for domestic vio- lence, would require employers to keep all information about a leave for an employee confiden- tial. Employers or employees who do not respect the confidential- ity requirements could face fines or other penalties. from EMPLOYERS on page 6 Payroll, HR need to ensure good tracking from ALBERTA on page 1

• Cover