Avid readers of the DMC Blog will note that we told dentists in March 2018 about a potential new paid holiday in Ontario, being Remembrance Day.
Well the Federal Government also has some initial plans to pass another new statutory holiday in Canada: the National Indigenous People Day.
The unpassed law is called Bill C-369, and it was originally introduced in the House of Commons in October 2017. Currently, it is in its second reading and is not yet passed. If it is passed, it would result in the creation of a new statutory holiday for all federally regulated employers.
Within the proposed law, the purpose of the new holiday is to acknowledge and commemorate the history and legacy of residential schools in Canada, being one of the recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission from 2015 .
As we mentioned about Remembrance Day, this statutory holiday would only be mandatory for all federally regulated workplaces. Employers whose operations are provincially regulated — like Dentists — would not be legally required to provide its employees with this new paid holiday.
But there is nothing stopping the provincial government from creating a new holiday in step with the Federal Government.
As always, we will keep you posted on any changes to employment law that affect your team.
