Minister MacFadyen said the legislation had not been reviewed in more than 10 years, and the review was necessary to ensure employment laws reflect changes in the workplace and are comparable with other Atlantic provinces.

“Staff will begin to work on the necessary legislative amendments and we hope to table the changes in the spring 2007 session of the Legislative Assembly,” Mr. MacFadyen noted.

Mr. MacFadyen praised everyone who participated in the review. “I want to sincerely thank the review panel, consisting of chair Don MacCormac, Glenda Burt and June Glover for their commitment to this major undertaking,” he said. “I also want to express my appreciation to everyone who took the time to make a presentation to the panel, sent in a submission or participated in a consultation.”

Additional information on the review can be found on the following web site: www.gov.pe.ca/cca/index.php3?number=1014127&lang=E

The report is available through the Labour Relations Division of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.

BACKGROUNDER:

The Employment Standards Act provides protection for about 55,000 employees not covered by collective bargaining agreements in Prince Edward Island.

In January 2006, in response to a request by the Employment Standards Board, a three member panel was appointed to conduct a comprehensive review of the Employment Standards Act and Regulations and the Youth Employment Act. The review panel included June Glover representing employees, Glenda Burt as an employer representative and independent chair Don MacCormac.

The panel implemented a consultation process and invited public input on employment standards and youth employment, and suggestions on how this legislation could be improved to meet the needs of Islanders. During the process, the panel examined the current legislation in detail, reviewed legislation in other jurisdictions and sought stakeholder input. This included hours of work, overtime, vacation pay, paid holidays, etc.

The final report addresses employee entitlements or benefits, access to those benefits, and compliance with legislation. The panel also recommended that the Youth Employment Act be incorporated into the Employment Standards Act.