Workers in Prince Edward Island will soon be entitled to paid sick leave under new amendments to the province’s Employment Standards Act, which come into effect on October 1.
The changes grant employees between one and three days of paid sick leave, depending on their length of continuous service with their employer. Workers who have been employed for 12 months will be eligible for one paid sick day, those with 24 months will receive two days, and employees who have worked for 36 months or more will be entitled to three days.
Under the new regulations, employees will receive their standard wages for the hours they would have worked if they had not taken the leave. For salaried workers, this means being compensated at their regular daily rate.
Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population Minister Jenn Redmond highlighted the province’s commitment to improving employment standards. “We are continuously working to make improvements to PEI’s employment standards. We will closely monitor the effects of these changes and the actions being taken across the country,” she said.
The paid sick leave legislation is part of an ongoing effort by the provincial government to enhance workplace protections and align with similar measures being introduced across Canada.