By Andrew Snook

effective immediately

Alberta announces temporary employment standards changes

Apr 6, 2020 | 8:20 PM

The provincial government says it is taking immediate action to allow employers in Alberta to appropriately respond to public health measures while allowing employees to remain attached to jobs and have the ability to access federal assistance programs.

Employees caring for children affected by school and daycare closures or ill or self-isolated family members due to COVID-19 will have access to unpaid job-protected leave. The 90-day employment requirement is waived and leave length is flexible, the province says.

The government also announced Monday that it is increasing the maximum time for a temporary layoff from 60 days to 120 days to ensure temporarily laid off employees stay attached to a job longer. This change is retroactive for any temporary layoffs related to COVID-19 that occurred on or after March 17.

As well, the province says it is improving scheduling flexibility by removing the 24-hour written notice requirement for shift changes, and the two weeks’ notice for changes to work schedules for those under an averaging agreement. It is also removing the requirement to provide the group termination notice to employees and unions when 50 or more employees are being terminated.

The government says these temporary Employment Standard changes take effect immediately and will be in place as long as it deems they are needed and the public health emergency order remains.

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“Changes to the Employment Standards Code will ensure Albertans can care for themselves and their loved ones during these challenging times, while providing flexibility to Alberta’s job creators,” says Jason Copping, Minister of Labour and Immigration.

(With file from media release)