ESA to Allow for New Leaves of Absence from Work
New Leaves of Absence from Work
A new Bill amending the Employment Standards Act has been approved by the Ontario Legislature and is expected to become law in October 2014. The Bill creates additional leaves of absence for Ontario employees.
Soon, employees will be entitled to take three new unpaid leaves of absence. These are:
- Family Caregiver Leave
- Critically Ill Child Care Leave
- Crime-Related Child Death and Disappearance Leave.
The following is a basic outline of these leaves.
Family Caregiver Leave
If a physician, nurse or psychologist provides certificate that your family member has a serious medical condition you could be permitted up to eight weeks of unpaid leave.
Critically Ill Child Leave
If you have been employed for six consecutive months and have a critically ill child, you could be entitled to an unpaid leave of 37-52 weeks depending on the care needed for your child as determined by a physician, nurse or physiologist.
Crime-related Child Death or Disappearance Leave
If your child dies or disappears as the result of an apparent crime, you could be entitled to an unpaid leave of 1-2 years, respectively. This is provided that you and the child were not the perpetrators of the crime.
Any unpaid leave of absence requires notification in writing to the employer.
Alternate rights under the ESA to unpaid leaves of absence, including parental and pregnancy leave, are reviewed in our other blogs.
If you require leave from work and would like to speak with an employment lawyer about your rights, please contact us at inquiry@macleodlawfirm.ca or 1-888-640-1728 (toll free) or 647-633-9894 (within the GTA).
The material and information in this blog and this website are for general information only. They should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. The authors make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of any information referred to in this blog or its links. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found on this website or blog. Readers should obtain appropriate professional advice from a lawyer duly licensed in the relevant jurisdiction. These materials do not create a lawyer-client relationship between you and any of the authors or the MacLeod Law Firm.
Recent Posts
Termination Pay for Short Service Employees
When considering a job offer you need to carefully consider the terms of the termination clause that is included in the written job offer you receive. Employer Friendly Termination Clause in Job Offer When interviewing for a job the employer rarely raises your rights...
Is Refusing a COVID Vaccine Just Cause for Termination?
Your employer has implemented a mandatory COVID vaccine policy. You do not want to get vaccinated. Your employer has told you you will be terminated for just cause if you don’t get vaccinated. This blog discusses your legal rights and obligations. You are required to...
A layoff during the Covid-19 pandemic is still a constructive dismissal
The courts recently confirmed that layoffs remain a constructive dismissal even in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.