Stronger Workplaces for Nova Scotia Act Introduced

The government is strengthening workplaces in Nova Scotia with transformative changes that will help support the health and well-being of workers and offer job security when they are sick.

The Stronger Workplaces for Nova Scotia Act, introduced today, September 5, will modernize the workers’ compensation system, address harassment in the workplace and create more unpaid leave for employees who need time off work because they are sick or dealing with a serious illness or injury.

“Listening to workers and hearing their ideas and experiences is incredibly valuable. Their voices matter, and it's important to take their concerns to heart and work to support them in any way possible,” said Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration. “I’m proud that, as a government, we can implement solutions that will make a meaningful difference for workers and for their families, now and for generations to come.”

The new legislation amends the Workers’ Compensation Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Labour Standards Code. The changes are further supported in recommendations made by the Workers’ Compensation Review Committee in a report the government released last week.

The amendments include implementing reviews of the workers’ compensation system every five years and a return-to-work process that will help the employer and employee from the time a worker is injured until they return to suitable and meaningful work. Additionally, these changes will help support respectful, safe and welcoming workplaces by preventing harassment in the workplace in accordance with regulations.

Changes to the Labour Standards Code will create five unpaid sick leave days for general illness in addition to the three unpaid days for medical appointments and family illness leave that is currently allowed under the code. There will also be a 27-week unpaid leave that would provide eligible employees with job protection while dealing with serious illness or injury, which aligns with the federal government’s Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.

Quotes:

“Nearly 40 per cent of people diagnosed with cancer are in their working years, ages 20 to 64. That means cancer often comes at a time when expenses are high, and others are depending on you. There are already enough worries that come with a cancer diagnosis; wondering if you have a job to come back to shouldn't be one of them. The Government of Nova Scotia is demonstrating strong leadership for expanding job protection for those with serious illnesses to 27 weeks. We know that cancer doesn’t wait – but your job should.”
— Andrea Seale, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Cancer Society

“We are pleased to see the government taking steps to improve the workers' compensation system. We support the idea of reviewing the system every five years and look forward to collaborating with both the government and stakeholders. Injured workers would experience several benefits from improved awareness and understanding of the workers’ compensation system. With a better understanding of their rights and the processes involved, injured workers can make more informed decisions regarding their claims, treatment options and return-to-work strategies.”
— Danny Cavanagh, President, Nova Scotia Federation of Labour

“We are very pleased to see government move so quickly to implement these important changes. We look forward to doing our part to provide better service and to support better return to work outcomes in this province. We all want the same thing – we want Nova Scotians working at safe and healthy workplaces.”
— Karen Adams, Chief Executive Officer, Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia

“While the proposed changes have not been reviewed by the coalition, I believe the changes proposed by Labour, Skills and Immigration are very good first steps and am pleased that government is taking prompt action on the recommendations of the review committee, while there is much more to be done. The coalition will, of course, want to review the legislation in more detail, but the changes look very positive. Significant action is urgently required by WCB to reduce the duration of claims, and these changes will help to achieve that objective.”
— Peter McLellan, spokesperson, Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia Stakeholders Coalition

Quick Facts:

• the Workers’ Compensation Review Committee made recommendations to the government in 10 priority areas to help modernize the workers’ compensation system
• this was the first review of the workers’ compensations system in more than 20 years, and more than 1,000 Nova Scotians participated in engagement sessions provincewide
• about 353,000 workers and 20,600 employers are insured under the WCB, while about 50,000 have no coverage at all
• the Department reached out to about 180 community partners as part of its consultation on leave for serious illness or injury
• Canada’s two most prevalent cancers are breast cancer and colon cancer, with common recovery times ranging between 26 and 36 weeks for breast cancer and 37 weeks for colon cancer

Additional Resources:

Bills tabled in the legislature are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/bills-statutes/bills/assembly-64-session-1

The Workers’ Compensation Review Committee report is available at: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/08/30/committee-report-released-recommendations-workers-compensation-system

News release – Consultations to Improve Workers’ Compensation System, Protect Workers from Harassment: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2023/10/24/consultations-improve-workers-compensation-system-protect-workers-harassment

Information about occupational health and safety in Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/lae/healthandsafety/

Information about labour standards in Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/lae/employmentrights/