Ontario Proposes “Family Caregiver Leave”

By Catherine Coulter

March 13, 2012

Employment Standards

On December 8th, the Ontario Government introduced Bill 30, an amendment to the Employment Standards Act, 2000 which, if passed, will create a new Family Caregiver Leave as of July 1, 2012. The purpose of the leave is to give caregivers up to 8 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a relative who is suffering from a “serious condition”. This is in addition to other leaves such as Family Medical Leave (which applies when a relative is terminally ill) and Emergency Leave (which provides for one-off absences to deal with sickness and other emergencies). The provincial government has indicated that if the Bill passes into law, it will press the federal government to approve EI benefits for employees who are required to take Family Caregiver Leave.

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English, Ontario

About Catherine Coulter

Catherine Coulter (She/Her/Hers) leads Dentons Ottawa’s Employment and Labour group, positioning the team as one of the most highly regarded in the nation's capital. With more than three decades of experience in employment law and litigation, Catherine guides clients through the entire spectrum of employment relationships, from start to end, handing day-to-day human resource challenges and resolving employment disputes. Drawing on her extensive litigation expertise and practical know-how, Catherine proactively anticipates, addresses and resolves issues before they occur.

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