Human Resources Legislative Update
Federal Government Tables New COVID-19 Leaves Under the Canada Labour Code
Date: November 26, 2021
On November 24, 2021, the federal government tabled Bill C-2, An Act to provide further support in response to COVID-19.
Among other things, if passed, Bill C-2 would reintroduce COVID-19 leaves of absence (repealed on November 20, 2021), as amended, under the Canada Labour Code (Code).
Under Bill C-2, the new COVID-19 leaves would provide:
- up to six weeks (or a number fixed by way of regulation) if the employee is unable to work because:
- they contracted or might have contracted COVID-19,
- they have underlying conditions, are undergoing treatments or have contracted other sicknesses that, in the opinion of a prescribed person or authority, would make them more susceptible to COVID-19, or
- they have isolated themselves on the advice of a prescribed person or authority for reasons related to COVID-19
- up to 44 weeks (or such other number fixed by way of regulation) if the employee is unable to work for a range of conditions relating to the care of a child or a family member who requires supervised care for reasons related to COVID-19.
A range of consequential amendments to the Code relating to this leave would also be made.
Editor’s Note: Bill C-2 received Royal Assent on December 17, 2021. The COVID-19 leaves came into force on that date and will be repealed on May 7, 2022.
The article in this client update provides general information and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. This publication is copyrighted by Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP and may not be photocopied or reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the express permission of Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP. ©
