Employers take note: the labour standards are being modernized!

On June 12, 2018, the National Assembly passed An Act to amend the Act respecting labour standards and other legislative provisions mainly to facilitate family-work balance.

Some of these amendments are specific to particular situations, but several of these amendments, the main ones of which appear hereunder, affect all employers.

Leave for illness, accidents, spousal violence or sexual violence

An employee who is the victim of spousal violence or sexual violence can be away from work for up to 26 weeks over a 12-month period.

An employee who can justify three months of continuous service can receive a maximum of two days of paid leave (currently not paid) during the same year for illness, accidents, spousal violence or sexual violence.

Psychological and sexual harassment

Employers are obligated to adopt and make available within their company a psychological harassment prevention and complaint processing policy. This prevention policy must include a component dealing with harassing conduct that is manifested by verbal comments, actions or gestures of a sexual nature.

Vacation

Employees are entitled to three weeks of paid leave after three years (currently after five years) of service.

Those are some of the points that were amended in the Act, but many others were also amended. To find out what they are and to determine how they impact the management of your company, go to the Commission des normes du travail, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité au travail (CNESST) site for more information.

Through its advisory service, the Gatineau Valley SADC can also help businesses on the territory adopt these new standards. All you have to do is contact an advisor with the organization.