Shortly after the United Conservative Party was elected in April 2019, Bill 2: An Act to Make Alberta Open for Business was introduced and Albertans saw a number of changes to Alberta's labour and employment legislation. Some of the more notable changes included the reduction of the youth minimum wage, the reinstatement of the former rules regarding banked overtime, and the return of mandatory secret ballot votes for unionized workplaces.
Earlier this month, the Alberta Government released a survey seeking public input to help guide the government in making further amendments to the Alberta Employment Standards Code. This survey provides both employers and employees with the opportunity to provide feedback on laws that directly impact their employment relationships. The survey includes specific questions on the following topics, suggesting the potential for changes in these areas:
- vacation;
- general holiday pay;
- hours of work averaging agreements;
- group terminations;
- temporary layoff notices;
- termination pay;
- administrative penalties;
- employee's statement of earnings; and
- variances and exemptions to employment standards rules.
The full survey can be accessed and completed online until November 28, 2019 at: https://extranet.gov.ab.ca/opinio6//s?s=EmploymentStandards
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