Changes are being made to the Employment Standards Act to protect New Brunswickers who must stay home due to COVID-19.
The job protection is for those who are not able to work because they have the virus, are caring for a person with whom they have a close family relationship who has the virus, or are following self-isolation or quarantine protocols as directed by Public Health.
The regulation also covers employees who cannot report to work because they are caring for their children due to school or daycare closures.
Labour Minister Trevor Holder says the job protection is retroactive to March 12 and the emergency leave must be requested in writing to an employer.
“The request must include the reasons for the leave, the anticipated start date and the duration of the leave. Employers are not required to pay the employee while they are on COVID-19 leave because emergency leave is unpaid leave,” he says.
“We want to minimize the pressure on workers and protect their jobs during the pandemic,” says Holder. “This is another measure we are taking to help ensure the health and safety of workers and workplaces.”
Holder has also announced that Working NB services are reopening over the telephone to help any employer or job seeker looking for support.
Meantime, Premier Blaine Higgs has extended the state of emergency order by another two weeks.
The province also says licences, certificates and other documents that were valid up to March 16 will now be in force until June 30.
Despite calls from the opposition to reconsider, Higgs is not backing down on banning temporary foreign workers from entering New Brunswick during the pandemic.
Higgs says the 600 vacant jobs in agriculture and the fishery will need to be filled from within and he adds a virtual job-matching platform is being launched next week.
