The government of Alberta announced new measures to ensure workplace balance is restored in the province, while getting Albertan’s back to work, with the proposed Bill 32, Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act legislation on July 8.
If Bill 32 is passed, the legislation could potentially save job creators an estimated $100 million each year, by reducing red tape from daily operations.
“Our government promised to restore balance in the workplace and today, we are further delivering on that promise,” said the Minister of Labour and Immigration, Jason Copping.
“In the fall, our government announced bill 32, an act to make Alberta open for business, and the changes we are announcing today will further restore balance to Alberta’s workplaces, support economic recovery and get Albertan’s back to work,” he said.
The government of Alberta consulted with employees, employers, labour groups, and unions to find ways to attract investment back into the province.
“We engaged with thousands of Albertans to discuss potential changes to employment standards that would reduce regulatory and red tape burdens on job creators, and protect the jobs of Albertans,” Copping said.
“During our job consultations, we heard loud and clear that simpler and more flexible rules were needed for several sections of the Employment Standards Code, this includes general holiday pay, group termination, payment of final earning upon termination, payroll processes, and paying administrative penalties,” he said.
“We are listening to Albertans and taking swift actions to help employers save time and money in their daily operations,” he added.
The government of Alberta received over 5,400 responses from a public survey on the employment standards rules issued in November 2019, which indicated employers needed more flexibility in the employment standards code to help them save time and money.
“The feedback also identified regulatory burdens that limit Alberta’s investment potential and highlighted the need to reduce red tape for employers,” Copping said.
“Bill 32 will provide employees and job creators with clearer and more transparent rules promoting fairness and productivity as it includes changes that will provide more clarity about rest periods and vacation time while on job protective leave,” he said.
Adding, “We are balancing employee rights with the need to protect businesses and the economy while ensuring Albertans can access critical services that they have come to rely on.”
Bill 32 will clarify rules for rest periods and flexibility in scheduling breaks, restore balance to relationships between employers and employees, increase employee choice by ensuring union members are not forced to fund political activities, balance employee rights to collective bargaining, or striking, prevent unions from disciplining members if they choose to take a different job with different employers, update rules for collective agreements, and increase transparency within the workplace.
Under Bill 32, there will be updated rules for temporary layoff notices to help employees stay attached to their jobs longer, add flexibility to rules for hours of work, help youth find work, and provide flexibility to the Labour Relations Board that will expedite processes during an emergency.
“These are just some of the way’s flexible rules around employment standards will help the businesses recover, and help Albertans return to work so they can take care of themselves and their families,” Copping said.
“Our government is doing everything we can to get Albertans back to work. We are doing this by supporting investment, job creation, and competition in the construction sector while ensuring stability,” he said.
“As businesses reopen, we need to support our job creators. We told Albertans we would get them back to work and make it easier to do business in Alberta. That’s exactly what we’re doing by cutting this unneeded red tape,” said the Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction, Grant Hunter.
Bill 32 is intended to encourage competitiveness and reduce red tape while providing employees and employers with clear and transparent rules promoting fairness and productivity.
“Our government promised a bold and comprehensive plan to chart a path forward for the Alberta economy and Bill 32 is an important step to bring balance back to the workplace and get Albertans back to work,” Copping said.
“We are all in this together, and we are standing up for the rights of Albertans, restoring balance, and protecting jobs,” he said. He added, “Our government was elected on the promise of supporting employee choice and to bring balance back to Alberta’s labour laws. This bill will do just that and also help businesses save time and money, letting them focus on getting Albertans back to work while protecting workers.”
