On April 22, 2021, Bill 71: Employment Standards (COVID-19 Vaccination Leave) Amendment Act, 2021 (“Bill 71”) received royal assent to retroactively take effect starting April 21, 2021.
Bill 71 amends the Alberta Employment Standards Code to provide 3 hours of paid leave for any full-time or part-time Alberta employee to receive a COVID-19 vaccination (“COVID-19 Vaccination Leave”).
Before taking a COVID-19 Vaccination Leave, an employee must provide as much notice as is reasonable and practicable under the circumstances. Employers are obligated to ensure that any employee who takes a COVID-19 Vaccination Leave will not lose any earnings or other benefits as a result, regardless of years of service.
Employers are entitled to request that an employee provide proof that they are entitled to the COVID-19 Vaccination Leave, if taken. However, an employee is not required to provide a medical certificate or record of immunization as proof, nor are they required to disclose any underlying medical conditions to the employer.
