About a dozen New Brunswick MLAs met briefly Friday morning to pass a pair of bills related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first bill involved changes to the Employment Standards Act to protect the jobs of workers forced to stay home.
“While the Employment Standards Act currently provides job protection for a number of leaves, none of them would directly apply to the unprecedented emergency situation we find ourselves in here today,” said Labour Minister Trevor Holder.
Holder said the amendments will establish leave protections in a national or provincial emergency, including a pandemic.
Meanwhile, changes to the Emergency Measures Act will help essential service workers who are seeking childcare.
“An amendment is being made to provide authority for government to provide emergency daycare services in areas of need when all other avenues have been exhausted,” said Carl Urquhart, the Minister of Public Safety.
Premier Blaine Higgs was asked about the Emergency Measures Act amendments during the province’s daily COVID-19 update Friday afternoon.
“At this point, it isn’t any more than having the authority, should we need it, to backup the essential services daycare requirement,” he said.
Right now, Higgs said he is not aware of any situations where they would need to open daycares, but that could change depending on how long the pandemic lasts.
Both bill passed unanimously in the legislature and received royal assent from Lieutenant-Governor Brenda Murphy in just 20 minutes.
Government house leader Glen Savoie praised all four political parties for working together during these “unprecedented times”.
“I think it behooves the public to know that New Brunswick is a leader as an entire province because of the collaboration between the leaders of all of the parties,” said Savoie.
