amends | CBC News

The Saskatchewan government is making changes to its labour and employment rules.

In a news release on Wednesday, the province said amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act will reduce administrative burden for employers, but also provide support for employees.

Some of the notable changes include prohibiting employers from withholding tips from their employees, limiting when employers can request sick notes and extending leave provision to include sick leave, maternity leave, interpersonal violence leave and bereavement leave.

Other changes include:

• Allowing employers to use a calendar day rather than 24 consecutive hours for the purposes of work schedules and overtime provisions.
• Increasing the threshold for when employers are required to notify employees, the minister and the union of a group termination to 25 employees from 10.
• Providing the director of employment standards with the authority to order reinstatement or compensation for lost wages in cases of discrimination by an employer.

The proposed amendments will still have to be approved in the legislature.

Lori Johb is president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, an organization that represents unionized workers in Saskatchewan. It submitted a list of proposed changes to employment rules last year.

Johb said she was happy to see some of the requests reflected in the amendments. 

“I think there’s a few things there that are good. I really will say that and I’m very glad to see it.”

One of the demands was the changes to tipping. For years, tips were not governed by any laws in Saskatchewan and were not protected from employers.

Johb said it was deplorable that employers could take away the tips of working people and she is glad that has now changed.

• This Sunday, Cross Country Checkup is asking: When it comes to tipping, which jobs deserve it, and which ones don’t? Fill out this form and you could appear on the show or have your comment read on air.

“When they’re going to work and having their employer take their tips, there’s really something wrong with that, so that is a really a good step in the right direction.”

Johb said she’s hoping for more amendments in the future, including an increase in the minimum wage.