Skip to content

COVID-19 vaccination leave for employees

Mark Tector and Bhreagh Ross

With vaccine rollout well underway across the country, employers should be aware of legislative changes that entitle employees to paid or unpaid time-off to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Here are the two Canadian jurisdictions that currently offer specific leave protections for employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine:

Province Vaccine leave legislation Provision
British Columbia Unpaid, job-protected leave to be vaccinated or to take a dependent family member to be vaccinated S. 52.12(2), Employment Standards Act; s. 45.03(2(b), Employment Standards Regulation
Saskatchewan Three hours paid, job-protected leave to be vaccinated S. 6-22.1, The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020

Currently, none of the Atlantic Provinces have enacted specific legislation dealing with leave time for employees to be vaccinated, but it is undoubtedly a topic of conversation for many provincial policymakers.  In some provinces employees may use other statutory leaves to take time off to get the vaccine.  For example, employees in Nova Scotia have a statutory entitlement to three (3) unpaid sick days a year that can be used for such things as medical appointments, including a medical appointment to receive the vaccine.

While pandemic policies are ever-changing, as an employer, it is important to be mindful of your province’s leave requirements when it comes to allowing and encouraging employees to take time off work to get the vaccine as it becomes available.

As part of their policies addressing COVID-19, employers should consider their approach to vaccine leave time, especially as the vaccine becomes more readily available.  Internal policies should also account for dosage needs given that three of the four vaccines currently approved for use in Canada require two doses to be effective. Through proactive vaccine leave policies, employers have the opportunity to send a strong message about the importance of vaccination, which plays a key role in controlling the spread of COVID-19 within the workplace and the broader community.

One of the members of our Labour and Employment group would be happy to answer any questions you have regarding your COVID-19 policy, including leave time for employees to be vaccinated.


This update is intended for general information only. If you have questions about the above, please contact a member of our Labour & Employment group.

 

Click here to subscribe to Stewart McKelvey Thought Leadership.

SHARE

Archive

Search Archive


 
 

Dude, where’s my cure? On the road to benefits coverage of psychedelics

May 3, 2023

Included in Discovery: Atlantic Education & the Law – Issue 12 By Dante Manna[1] Once known for recreational use, psychedelics are slowly gaining medical legitimacy as research emerges on possible therapeutic benefits for mental health…

Read More

Discovery: Atlantic Education & the Law – Issue 12

April 28, 2023

We are pleased to present the twelfth issue of Discovery, Stewart McKelvey’s legal publication targeted to educational institutions in Atlantic Canada. Our lawyers provide insight on a number of topics facing universities and colleges including…

Read More

Raising capital under the Nova Scotia Innovation Equity Tax Credit regime

April 17, 2023

By Kyle S. Hartlen, Gavin Stuttard, and Colton Smith What is the Innovation Equity Tax Credit? The Nova Scotia Innovation Equity Tax Credit (“IETC“) is a non-refundable personal and corporate income credit intended to encourage…

Read More

Changes to Canada’s Competition Act coming into effect this summer: a primer on recent amendments impacting Canadian businesses

April 13, 2023

By Deanne MacLeod, K.C., Burtley G. Francis and David F. Slipp In June 2022, Canada’s federal government enacted a number of changes to the Competition Act (the “Act”) as the first step in a comprehensive…

Read More

Nova Scotia to limit medical notes for employee absences

April 4, 2023

This article was updated on April 19, 2023. By Mark Tector and Ben Currie On April 12, 2023 Bill 256: Patient Access to Care Act received Royal Assent. Schedule B of the Bill is the…

Read More

Recent Amendments to the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Regulations

April 3, 2023

This Thought Leadership article is a follow-up to our January 2023 article on the introduction of the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act. By Brendan Sheridan On January 1, 2023, the…

Read More

Consultation on potential amendments to the Cannabis Regulations

March 31, 2023

By Kevin Landry and Jahvon Delaney Background On March 25, 2023, the Government of Canada released a Notice of Intent titled Consultation on potential amendments to the Cannabis Regulations. The Notice outlines that Health Canada is…

Read More

New reporting requirements for beneficial ownership of Nova Scotia companies

March 28, 2023

By Kimberly Bungay On April 1, 2023, the Nova Scotia government will proclaim into force Bill 226, which amends the Companies Act (the “Act”) to require companies formed under the Act to create and maintain…

Read More

Abuse of sick leave / failure of employee to participate in accommodation process: Vail v. Oromocto (Town), 2022 CanLII 129486

March 21, 2023

By Chad Sullivan and Kathleen Starke Background A recent decision, Vail v. Oromocto (Town), 2022 CanLII 129486, involved several grievances including an unjust dismissal claim by a firefighter as well as a grievance filed by…

Read More

Underused Housing Tax Act introduces new tax on vacant or underused housing

March 13, 2023

By Stuart Wallace and Kim Walsh On January 1, 2022, the Underused Housing Tax Act (the Act) took effect. The Underused Housing Tax (the UHT) is an annual 1% tax on the value of vacant or…

Read More

Search Archive


Scroll To Top