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The Expanding World of Job-Protected Leaves: What’s Next?

Not too long ago, pregnancy and parental leaves were the only job-protected leaves under Ontario’s employment standards laws.1 Over the course of the last 12 years, new job-protected leaves have been added to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”)2 at an ever-increasing pace:

The addition of both personal emergency and family medical leaves quickly captured the attention of Ontario employers, as they considered how they might need to change workplace policies and practices to comply with these new laws. Most of the time employers got it right! However, when they got it wrong, the consequences of non-compliance often proved to be a costly mistake.

The latter three leaves, in contrast, largely escape the attention of most employers. This is likely because relatively few employees take reservist or organ donor leave, and there has not yet been a declared emergency in the province of Ontario. Put differently, these leaves seem like small potatoes next to the business impact of other leaves under the ESA.

Fast forward a few years.

On March 5, 2013, the Ontario government introduced Bill 21, Employment Standards Amendment Act (Leaves to Help Families), 2013. If passed, this new legislation will create three new job-protected leaves under the ESA:

These new leaves, if passed, will undoubtedly generate interest among employees and employers alike. An expanded group of employees will qualify for unpaid time off work. Employers will, in turn, need to figure out how to meet the needs of their businesses when such leaves occur.

Bill 21 passed Second Reading in late September. It was ordered for Third Reading earlier this month. Given the way that Canadian courts have been expanding employer obligations when faced with employee family care responsibilities, we fully expect that this Bill will receive Royal Assent.

We will keep our readers posted!


1 Disabled employees unable to work had, and continue to have, protections under Ontario’s Human Rights Code.

2 Information about each job-protected leave under the ESA can be found via the hyperlinks in this blog.

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