Alberta Bill 2: More Changes to Employment & Labour Laws on the Horizon

On May 27, 2019, Alberta’s newly elected United Conservative Party introduced the Open for Business Act (“Bill 2”).  If passed, Bill 2 will give rise to several amendments to the Employment Standards Code (the legislation that prescribes minimum standards of employment in Alberta, hereinafter the “ESC”) and Labour Relations Code (the legislation that governs collective bargaining and labour-management relations in Alberta, hereinafter the “LRC”).

Employment Standards Code

• Overtime: Currently, employers and employees can agree in writing to “bank” overtime at the rate of 1.5 hours off work with pay for each 1-hour of overtime worked.  Under Bill 2, however, employees will be entitled to just 1-hour off work with pay for each 1-hour of overtime worked.