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Renseignements en Français

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Managing Staffing and Leave

Overview

Information to help businesses manage staff absences due to COVID-19.

SaskJobs – Employers Services

Provides services for employers, including customized assistance to attract, develop and retain employees, including assistance for employers to navigate through Government of Saskatchewan and Government of Canada programs and services.

SaskJobs – Employer Services
Email: employerservices@gov.sk.ca
Phone: 306-787-7428

Reducing Employees' Work Hours

Federal Government's Work-Sharing (WS) temporary special measures, implemented to support employers and workers affected by COVID-19:

Absence From Work Due to Illness

Employees who need to be away from work because they are sick are able to access job protected sick leave.

Employees are eligible for 12 days in a calendar year of unpaid sick time. They are also eligible for up to 12 weeks in a 52-week period of unpaid sick time for a serious illness.

Absence from Work to Care for a Family Member Who is Ill

Employees with at least 13 weeks of employment with the employer are entitled to up to 12 days in a calendar year, or up to 12 weeks in a 52-week period for a serious illness to care for a dependent family member.

Job Protection for Employees Accessing Federal Benefits

Employees who were absent from work while applying for and/or receiving federal benefits being offered as part of the COVID-19 response, such as the Canadian Recovery Sickness Benefit or the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit, were protected from discriminatory action taken because of the absence, including job protection.

The last period for the federal government benefit programs was May 1 to 7, 2022. The application deadline is July 6, 2022.

Employees were entitled to this protection during the eligibility period for these programs, which ran from September 25, 2020 until May 7, 2022

Employees were not required to provide proof they had applied for the federal benefit or a medical note to access this protection.

Public Health Emergency Leave

As the public health orders were removed as of 12:01 a.m. on February 28, 2022, employees will no longer be entitled to the public health emergency leave.

Support to Manage Your Workforce

Public Emergency Layoffs

Once public health and emergency orders were lifted on July 11, 2021 employers had two weeks (14 days) to schedule employees back to work. The exemption from providing notice or pay instead of notice for temporary layoffs no longer applies.

Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits

For more information about EI options available for employees, visit:

Or, contact the Government of Canada:

Employer Contact Centre
Toll-free: 1-800-367-5693
TTY: 1-855-881-9874

Sickness Benefits
1-833-381-2725 (toll-free)

Temporary Foreign Workers

Guidance for employers of Temporary Foreign Workers regarding COVID-19:

Other Resources

If you need additional support, the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training COVID-19 Business Response Team is available to assist you: supportforbusiness@gov.sk.ca