Apri 1, 2021

Victoria — The Ministry of Labour will bring in a regulatory change under the Employment Standards Act that provides workers who are receiving a COVID-19 vaccination, or who are assisting a dependant to get their vaccine, with job-protected leave. The leave will be for as long as needed to receive the vaccination, including travel.

Government will explore options to ensure people are not financially penalized for getting their vaccine. This will include consultations with B.C.’s business community, labour organizations and workers who have been hit hardest by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This regulatory change also includes expanding the job-protected leave for reasons related to COVID-19, brought in last March, to fully align with the federal Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit. Changes were made by Canada in the months since B.C. introduced the COVID-19 related leave, so the changes today ensure there is job protection for all eligible federal benefit programs.

A worker can now take job-protected leave if they need to care for other family members because of COVID-19, and not only a child or dependent adult as previously defined. Improvements also allow workers with underlying conditions, who are undergoing treatment, or who have contracted another illness that makes them more susceptible to COVID-19 to take the leave.