Changes to the Employment Standards Act will provide five days of paid job leave for workers or their children facing domestic or sexual violence.
B.C.’s Employment Standards Act is the law that sets minimum standards for workplaces in the province. Proposed changes will provide up to five days of paid leave from work to employees impacted by domestic or sexual violence, or who are parents of a minor child or dependent adult impacted by this kind of violence.
By being able to take up to five days of paid leave from work per year, employees will be able to attend to their needs or the needs of their dependent children or adults without the worry of losing income from missing work. Employees will have paid leave allowing them to attend medical, counselling or other appointments, look for a new home or school for their children and rebuild their lives.
This Bill underscores the importance of addressing issues of gender-based violence. This Bill also builds on improvements made to the Employment Standards Act in 2019 that provided up to 10 days of unpaid, job-protected leave from work. If passed, the amendments will mean five of these days will be paid. Changes brought into force in 2019 also include up to 15 additional weeks of unpaid leave.