Includes leave for crime-related loss or disappearance of a child
The Ontario government is taking steps to protect the jobs of working men and women in the province who need to care for seriously ill or injured loved ones or deal with a crime-related loss or disappearance of a child.
The proposed Employment Standards Amendment Act (Leaves to Help Families), 2013, would recognize the importance of family and job security, and would build on the existing family medical leave by creating three new job-protected leaves:
• Family caregiver leave: up to 8 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for employees to provide care and support to a family member with a serious medical condition.
• Critically ill child-care leave: up to 37 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to provide care to a critically ill child.
• Crime-related child death and disappearance leave: up to 52 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for parents of a missing child and up to 104 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for parents of a child that has died as a result of a crime.
“The one thing working Ontarians need most when it comes to caring for seriously ill or injured family members is the time to be with their loved ones,” said Minister of Labour Yasir Naqvi. “These proposed leaves are a matter of compassion, and the right thing to do for Ontario families.”
