Proposed amendments to the Labour Standards Act have received second reading in the House of Assembly. The amendments will ensure provincial legislation aligns with recent changes to the Canada Labour Code and recognizes the challenges often faced by young families and those providing care to a sick family member.

The proposed amendments will enable working parents to access the new Employment Insurance parental leave benefits which were introduced by the Government of Canada and came into force on December 3, 2017.

Changes being proposed to the Labour Standards Act to align with the Canada Labour Code are:

• The expansion of parental leave so parents can choose the option that best meets their family’s needs: standard parental benefits taken over 12 months or extended parental benefits taken over 18 months.
• The expansion of eligibility to care for a critically ill child to include immediate and extended family members.
• The introduction of job protection of 17 weeks for caregivers who provide care to a critically ill adult family member.

The amendments will also allow nurse practitioners to sign medical certificates for existing and new leaves, to help simplify the process.

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“We recognize the challenges often faced by young families and those providing care to a sick family member and we want to ensure that provincial labour legislation remains relevant and responsive to the needs of workers and their employers. These changes will make it easier for families to balance work and life and that is good for our economy and good for our businesses.” 
Honourable Al Hawkins
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour

Learn more
Labour Relations and Standards – www.aesl.gov.nl.ca/labour/index.html

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Media contact
Ryan Crocker 
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
709-729-1795, 725-9595
RyanCrocker@gov.nl.ca