Bill 71 Passed: Statement from Minister Copping

Minister of Labour and Immigration Jason Copping issued the following statement on the passing of Bill 71: Employment Standards (COVID Vaccination Leave) Amendment Act, 2021:

“As our province’s vaccine program continues to vaccinate more and more Albertans, we continue to take action to protect lives and livelihoods.

“Alberta’s government has passed legislation that amends the Employment Standards Code to ensure working Albertans can access paid, job-protected leave to get each COVID-19 vaccine.

“By passing this legislation, we are reducing barriers for Alberta workers to get vaccinated. This means no Albertan will have to choose between getting vaccinated and putting food on the table.

“Effective today, every working Albertan can access up to three hours of paid, job-protected leave for each dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. All employees are eligible regardless of job status or length of employment.

“We urge all employees and employers to work together when scheduling COVID-19 vaccination leaves.

“This is the right thing to do and we will continue to take bold actions to protect Albertans lives and livelihoods while ensuring our economic recovery.”