The Government of Saskatchewan has announced that retroactive amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act will give workers access to job-protected leaves in the midst of a public health emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The amendments include removing the employment requirement of 13 weeks before an employee may access their sick leave, as well as the requirement of a doctor’s note.
It also includes the introduction of a new, unpaid public health emergency leave that employees may access when the province undertakes official measures to reduce the spread of a disease, under orders from the province’s chief medical health officer and the World Health Organization.
These amendments are effective as of Mar. 6, said a government press release.
“We want to thank workers across Saskatchewan for everything they do,” Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don Morgan said in a press release. “No one should lose their job for continuing to prioritize health and safety during this public health emergency.”
