Reminder: Three New Statutory Leaves of Absence are Set to Take Effect in Ontario on October 29, 2014

October 20, 2014

On October 29, 2014, the following three new job-protected leaves of absence will come into effect under Ontario's Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA):

  1. family caregiver leave: up to eight weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to provide care or support to a family member with a serious medical condition.
  2. critically ill child care leave: up to 37 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to provide care to a critically ill child.
  3. crime-related child death or disappearance leave: up to 52 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for parents of a missing child and up to 104 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for parents of a child who has died due to a crime.
As discussed in more detail in a previous post, these new leaves of absence will be in addition to the existing leaves of absence available to Ontario employees under the ESA and may be used in conjunction with those existing leaves.

With less than two weeks to go before the effective date, Ontario employers should take steps to reflect these new statutory leaves of absence in their workplace policies, handbooks, employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements.

Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

Authors

Talia K. Bregman
416.777-4833
bregmant@bennettjones.com


Please note that this publication presents an overview of notable legal trends and related updates. It is intended for informational purposes and not as a replacement for detailed legal advice. If you need guidance tailored to your specific circumstances, please contact one of the authors to explore how we can help you navigate your legal needs.

For permission to republish this or any other publication, contact Amrita Kochhar at kochhara@bennettjones.com.