Within the course of a single day, the Alberta Legislature has
passed the Employment Standards (COVID-19 Vaccination
Leave) Amendment Act, 2021. This amendment adds section
53.9821 to the Employment Standards Code in
Alberta and impacts all non-federally regulated employers and
employees in the Province of Alberta.
Effective April 21, 2021, an employee is entitled to request a
leave of absence to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. The employee
must provide as much notice as is reasonable and practical in the
circumstances. Where an employee makes this request, the
employer must provide the employee with a leave
of absence to enable the employee to obtain the vaccination.
An employer is not required to grant a leave in excess of 3
consecutive hours however it can provide a greater leave of absence
if the employer believes a longer period is warranted. The leave of
absence must be provided to the employee without any loss or
reduction to pay and benefits. A question
