A Major Revision of Labour Standards

On June 12, 2018, the National Assembly thus adopted An Act to amend the Act respecting labour standards and other legislative provisions mainly to facilitate family-work balance.

The Act respecting labour standards recently went through a major revision. Changes were made to ensure its evolution in pursuit of the following main objectives:

• favour family-work-study balance, particularly by improving certain leaves
• upgrade the protections granted to workers who only have the labour standards regime to govern their working conditions
• adapt the Act to the new realities of the labour market

We invite you to consult the CNESST website for more information on the changes and their effective date, and the standards that have not been amended.

Main changes are related to:

• Absences for family or parental obligations
• Absences for sickness, accident, domestic violence, s​exual violence
• Annual vacation
• Differences in conditions of employment
• Employee receiving tips
• Exclusion from the Act respecting labour standards
• Leave for birth or adoption
• Payment of wages
• Period of absence during a death or a disappearance
• Personnel placement agencies and recruitment agencies for temporary foreign workers
• Psychological and sexual harassment
• Obligations related to temporary foreign workers
• Right to refuse to work
• Staggering of working hours
• Statutory holidays

Staff who were eligible for the Family Days pilot project will continue to be entitled to receive three Family Days.

Feel free to reach out to you local HR representative if you have questions about this topic.