Saskatchewan government bans employers from taking tips from workers, limits sick note requests

The provincial government announced a host of new employment rules on Wednesday, including banning employers from keeping tips from their workers.

Five other amendments to the Saskatchewan Employment Act were also announced, including limiting when employers can request sick notes. Provisions related to sick leave, maternity leave, interpersonal violence leave and bereavement leave have been extended, according to the provincial government.

The three other changes include:

• Allowing employers to use a calendar day, rather than 24 consecutive hours for the purposes of work schedules and overtime provisions
• Increasing the threshold when employers are required to notify employees, the minister and the union of a group termination from 10 employees to 25 employees
• Providing the director of employment standards with the authority to order reinstatement or compensation for lost wages in cases of discriminatory action by an employer

“I think the most significant part of leaves is bereavement leave,” Reiter said on Wednesday. “There is also an interpersonal violence leave, right now I believe it’s 10 days but that is going to be extended by 16 weeks,” Reiter said.

According to Reiter, that will be unpaid leave. “[However], it would guarantee the person if they need to take that leave it would guarantee them their job back,” he said.

When it comes to sick notes the new change would mean employers are not able to request a sick leave note for a minimum of five days, Reiter said.

“It is cumbersome administratively. It’s difficult for employees to get doctors to sign a sick leave [note] and it just seems like a more reasonable time period."

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Reiter said following a required consultation that must be done every five years, they heard from employers, unions, individuals, and others which helped inform the province ahead of the announced amendments they believe will create flexibility for employers while continuing to support places of work.

The amendments still need to be passed inside the legislature.