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
- If you have experienced a drop in revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 wage and hiring support for businesses will enable you to re-hire workers, help prevent further job losses and ease your business back into normal operations.
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: