The Province has introduced amendments to the B.C. Employment Standards Act regarding the new five-day paid sick leave entitlement introduced this year.

These amendments include the following changes:

• Sick leave entitlement will be based on each calendar year, rather than the “employment year” of each individual employee; and
• All employees will be entitled to the minimum of five paid days of sick leave, even if a collective agreement contains provisions that cumulatively meet or exceed that entitlement.

The Province has indicated these changes are intended to address “issues” that have been raised since the legislation came into effect on January 1^st.

The amendments will come into effect upon Royal Assent, which is expected before the end of the current legislative session.

We will continue to update our clients as we obtain more information. In the meantime, if you have any questions on this or any other workplace matter, please contact a Mathews Dinsdale lawyer.