Provincial Minister of Labour Harry Bains says there will be no ministerial order 害羞草研究所� at least 害羞草研究所渘ot right now害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� to extend the temporary layoff time limits beyond 16 weeks as there are already provisions under the Employment Standards for employers and workers to apply for extensions beyond that time.

But business organizations throughout the province say that害羞草研究所檚 not good enough as 害羞草研究所渢ime is of the essence,害羞草研究所� and they are calling on him to extend the temporary layoff limits to Aug. 31 and tack on six weeks more once emergency orders are lifted, in 害羞草研究所渢he interests of doing what is right for workers and employers in British Columbia.害羞草研究所�

Bains told the Now-Leader his government is listening, 害羞草研究所渁nd after listening, if we need to extend, and if we害羞草研究所檙e convinced that extension is needed to protect jobs, but at the same to protect workers rights and their benefits, we will be open to that.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e believe the extension variance process will work well,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e are also prepared to improve that system if need be. If it害羞草研究所檚 not sufficient, we need to extend further than 16 weeks, we害羞草研究所檙e open to that because we want to make sure we support the employer and protect those jobs, at the same time the workers害羞草研究所� rights and benefits are also protected.害羞草研究所�

In a joint June 22 letter to the Surrey-Newton MLA 害羞草研究所� from the Surrey Board of Trade, BC Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, BC Built.BC Strong, the Business Council of British Columbia, Retail Council of Canada, Restaurants Canada, British Columbia Hotel Association, the Tourism Industry Association of BC, the BC Trucking Association and ABLE BC For A Responsible Liquor Industry 害羞草研究所� these organizations claim Bains害羞草研究所� approach is 害羞草研究所減erplexing and is unacceptable.

害羞草研究所淚t also unnecessarily places at risk thousands of jobs for youth, women, and vulnerable people in our society,害羞草研究所� they charge. 害羞草研究所淭he business community is extremely disappointed with your response and, respectfully, calls upon you to immediately revisit your decision and issue an extension to the temporary layoff time limits as we have requested without delay.害羞草研究所�

Bains said Monday the NDP government 害羞草研究所渇ully害羞草研究所� understands that the pandemic has put many workers and businesses 害羞草研究所渦nder significant strain,害羞草研究所� but it has already extended the temporary layoff provisions in the Employment Standards Act to 16 weeks from 13 and employers and workers together can also apply for further extensions.

害羞草研究所淲e have a flexibility in our Employment Standards Act, compared to other jurisdictions, where if the employer feels they need a few more days, and a little more time, to extend the temporary layoff from 16 weeks even, then they can actually talk to their impacted workers and if the majority of those workers agree, they can apply to Employment Standards for the extension beyond 16 weeks. So that provision is available to them right now,害羞草研究所� Bains told the Now-Leader.

He said the government needs to take a 害羞草研究所渂alanced害羞草研究所� approach that supports employers and protects workers害羞草研究所� rights as well.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 encouraging them, that they should talk to each other, workers and employers, and they can actually reach out to Employment Standards if they need more time beyond 16 weeks.害羞草研究所�

Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, says businesses across the province have been calling on Bains to act urgently in an effort to prevent more job losses and small businesses from going bankrupt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She says at issue is the spectre of bankruptcy and insolvency for thousands of small and medium sized businesses and not-for-profits being forced to pay out severance because of unforeseen circumstances brought on by the pandemic.

害羞草研究所淢inister Bains has it within his power to provide a ministerial order to extend the temporary lay-off time limits under the Employment Standards Act to provide employers with the breathing room needed to survive, recover and facilitate return-to-work for laid-off employees,害羞草研究所� Huberman said.

She said the Surrey Board of Trade 害羞草研究所渄emands that the BC Ministry of Labour revisit their recent negative response to the business community. Take action. Extend the temporary layoff provision for at least a further 13-week period through to August 31, 2020 to provide employers with certainty during this tenuous economic recovery period.害羞草研究所�

To this, Bains replies, 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what I害羞草研究所檓 saying, that the employer has that option right now under Employment Standard that they can talk to workers and get their agreement and then they can approach to the Employment Standard and get that extension.

害羞草研究所淔or example,害羞草研究所� he said, 害羞草研究所渋f an employer has 50 employees and they are bringing back say 40 of them, but the 10 of them still have to wait beyond 16 weeks that they already have, then they could go to those 10, and if the majority of those 10 agree to postpone or extend the 16 week temporary layoff they can go to Employment Standard and apply for the extension.害羞草研究所�

There will be no ministerial order, he said. 害羞草研究所淣ot right now. I害羞草研究所檝e already spoken to Employment Standard Branch, through my ministry, and they害羞草研究所檙e ready to take those applications and are working diligently to help employers and workers and listen to those applications.害羞草研究所�

The organizations that signed the June 22 letter, however, say Bains害羞草研究所� suggestion that employers apply under the ESA for a variance to extend temporary layoff time limits is a 害羞草研究所渉ollow offering害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渇rankly Minister, insulting to the many businesses struggling to recover or simply keep their doors open as a result of COVID-19.

害羞草研究所淵ou are aware, or ought to be aware, of the substantial back logs within the Employment Standards Branch,害羞草研究所� they told Bains. 害羞草研究所淚f businesses are required to use this 害羞草研究所榩athway,害羞草研究所� it will be several weeks or months before extensions to statutory layoff provisions that are urgently required now are granted. The result will be widespread bankruptcies and insolvencies that you, as Minister of Labour, caused through your inaction.害羞草研究所�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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