The Saskatchewan Premier recently outlined the province’s current financial support plan in response to the growing concerns from employers and employees regarding the COVID-19 crisis.
The plan includes 3 primary changes to The Saskatchewan Employment Act (“Act”)/Regulations:
- An unpaid public health emergency leave: employees are entitled to a leave for the length of time they are ordered by their employer, government, their doctor or the chief medical officer to remain away from work;
- The removal of the 13 week employment requirement to access sick leave as well as the requirement to produce a doctor’s note; and
- During a public emergency employers are not required to provide notice or pay in lieu of notice when they lay-off staff if it is for a period of 12 weeks or less in a 16-week period and if an employer lays off employees periodically for a total of more than 12 weeks in a 16-week period, the employees are terminated and are entitled to pay instead of notice as outlined in the Act.