Three days after several B.C. business groups were calling on the province to extend temporary layoff provisions for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the province has announced a two month extension, to August 30.
“This extension will provide even more certainty and flexibility,” said Harry Bains, the Minister of Labour, noting the move comes after discussions with business and worker representatives.
“This will also give additional time to ensure that employers and workers are able to craft agreements if there is a need to further extend temporary layoffs, while still protecting workers’ rights to compensation for length of service.
In a statement, the province says the expectation is that businesses will honour their obligations they’ve made to workers and reach an agreement with their employees in the event that temporary layoff provisions have to be extended further.
“Our goal is to maintain connections between employers and workers who have a joint interest in supporting the economic recovery of businesses in B.C. and the jobs that go with them,” Bains added.
“Employers who are not able to return to full operations and need additional time can do so with agreement from their employees, but we expect those employees will be recalled when operations have resumed.”
The BC Chamber of Commerce was among the many groups calling for the extension, which now brings B.C. in line with the extension of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
“Our pulse surveys have shown that businesses want to reopen and bring back their teams – but they just need more time,” CEO Val Litwin said on Monday.
“For three days the opposition has pounded away on this issue in Question Period, and had to deal with an intransigent Premier and a befuddled Labour minister,” BC Liberal MLA Jas Johal said on twitter, following the extension. “I’m glad we were able to shame them into doing the right thing!”
Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone says the move will bring relief for tens of thousands of B.C. workers and thousands of businesses.
“John Horgan reversed his harebrained position on this after a strongly worded letter from business organizations, and relentless questions in Question Period by the BC Liberal Caucus this week,” he said.”
The province says Section 72 of the B.C. Employment Standards Act allows employers and workers to extend temporary layoffs if a joint application is made to the Employment Standards Branch.
“We heard loud and clear from employers that they need this extension,” Bains said. “We also know it is important to ensure that workers know that they have to be involved in the agreement with the employer to extend the temporary layoff and have a right to decline the layoff and accept the compensation for length of service which they are entitled to.”
The province is also encouraging employers to use the federal wage subsidy if they need help in bringing their workers back.
