Saskatchewan Employment Act Now In Effect

The Saskatchewan government has recently proclaimed The Saskatchewan Employment Act (SEA) into law which, along with its Regulations, came into force on April 29th, 2014. The Act consolidates Saskatchewan's numerous pieces of labour legislation, including The Labour Standards Act, The Trade Union Act, and The Occupational Health and Safety Act, and makes significant changes to modernize and update the province's employment standards and labour relations laws (Source: Retail Council). The regulations serve to provide a better understanding on how the new labour and employment laws will operate (Source: Mondaq). 

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What are some of the amendments?

​According to Miller Thomson LLP, the Saskatchewan Employment Act Regulations reflect a "modernization of the laws and institution related to labour and employment law in Saskatchewan". 

Some of the more notable changes in the Regulations include:

• Time banks for overtime hours are now permitted, if agreed upon by both the employer and employee
• Minimum wage rate will be indexed by inflation in the future and cannot fall below $10 per hour
• Now recognized that interns have all the rights and obligations of other employees
• Athletes are now exempt from minimum wage standards 
• Employers and employees can now agree to modified work arrangements where hours are averaged for a certain period before overtime pay is required (learn more about this particular provision here)
• Employees required to "report for duty" are entitled to be paid three times their hourly wage
• Labour Relations Board now has the ability to amend its own Regulations

Notable changes to occupational health and safety:

• Prime Contractors: Designation of a prime contractor on worksites with 10 or more self-employed persons or workers will be required, but only in the industries of construction, forestry, and oil & gas
• Penalties: Maximum penalties for individuals ($500,000) and corporations ($1.5 million) increase
  (Source: McKercher LLP) 

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Do you operate outside of Ontario? Clear Path has recently expanded our scope beyond Ontario and can proudly announce that we are now able to assist our clients with disability management claims across Canada. 
 
We have multiple consultants fluent in the French language and able to effectively deal with claims management in different provinces, including the CSST in Quebec. Need a question answered? Contact us today! 

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