Changes to the workplace prompt changes to the Employment Standards Act

The province is looking to make some changes to the Employment Standards Act.

That’s the act that deals with standards for workplaces in the province and it was last reviewed in 1994.

Since the act was last updated, the province says, technology has significantly changed workplaces.

There are new technologies that drive how and where people work, many more part-time employees and many more people working remotely, from home or on virtual teams.

The Ministry of Labour intends to make changes to the act as early as this spring.

The Ministry of Labour wants to hear from the public on the first areas of focus including protection for child workers, job-protected leaves of absence, strengthening worker’s abilities to recover wages owed, clarifying the hours of work and overtime standards and improving fairness for terminated workers.

For more information about how to participate, visit: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/govtogetherbc/consultation/modernizing-the-employment-standards-act/

To read the final report of the BC Law Institute’s Employment Standards Reform Project, visit:
www.bcli.org/project/employment-standards-act-reform-project