Compassionate care and bereavement leave in Nova Scotia may be extended
New bill proposes to extend time an employee can take off work to care for family member from 8 to 28 weeks
Working Nova Scotians may soon have their jobs protected for longer periods if they take time off to look after a sick family member.
A government bill tabled Thursday in the Nova Scotia legislature allows for 28 weeks off instead of the current eight-week protection.
Labour Minister Kelly Regan says the change will allow family members to concentrate on caring for sick loved ones without having to worry about losing their jobs.
"These Labour Standards Code changes offer protection that families hope they'll never have to use but that will mean the world to them if these code changes are actually needed," she said. "They'll let families focus on what's important during difficult times — each other."
According to the minister, Nova Scotia would become the first province to align their provincial law with federal labour legislation.
Beyond parents, spouses and children
The leave is granted when a family is dealing with a person who is seriously ill. A doctor must also deem that person may die within six months. To qualify for leave, a doctor's certificate is required.
The bill also extends the minimum amount of time someone can be off because of the death of a close family member.
Currently, if a spouse, parent or child dies, an employee gets up to three consecutive days off in bereavement leave.
That also applies to a immediate in-law, a grandparent, grandchild, brother or sister.
Other family members are currently only entitled to a day off. When the changes come into effect, the five-day bereavement period will apply to the death of all family members.
If the bill passes this fall, the changes will take effect Jan. 3, which is when the federal law takes effect.
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