On June 12, the Quebec National Assembly adopted Bill 176, an act to amend the province’s employment standards act, just before the end of the parliamentary session.
Some of the changes have already started to be implemented, others will be enforced starting Sept. 1, 2018, and all of them will have the full force of the law as of Jan. 1, 2019. Given this complex rollout of the province’s updated employment laws, Restaurants Canada and other organizations successfully lobbied Quebec’s government to create an online guide to support small businesses with the transition.
For now, this guide is in French only and addresses all types of employers operating in Quebec. You can click here to access the guide and other helpful resources, including information on pay equity and workplace safety.
Many of the updates to the legislation are driven by the Quebec government’s desire to help residents improve work/life balance. Restaurants Canada is pleased to see the new standards reflect our recommendations around the needs of foodservice owners and operators across the province.
Our efforts also resulted in more flexibility for seasonal businesses and a better framework for harassment policies. Employers can also now spread paid hours over longer periods with mutual consent from their workers, which will make administration around overtime more manageable for the foodservice industry.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can send them to David Lefebvre, Restaurants Canada’s Vice President, Federal and Quebec, at DLefebvre@restaurantscanada.org.