Federal rules covering the overtime work people do at home could be on the way, says Blacklock’s Reporter..“There is more work to be done to ensure standards keep up with the rapid pace of change driven by digital communications technology,” Labour Minister Filomena Tassi said in a statement..“It is important for me to hear the views of employers, unions and the public.”.Public consultation is open until April 30..Tassi’s department earlier noted no province currently regulates after-hours electronic work..“The Covid-19 pandemic has added new dimensions to this issue,” wrote staff..The department pointed out a law enacted by the French parliament in 2017 to compensate workers required to take calls after hours..A similar bill in the Québec legislature lapsed in 2018..Staff said employers’ unregulated electronic contact “carries health risks for employees when it is not balanced against the need for rest. Risks include anxiety, depression and burnout..“If an employee decides to respond to work-related communications after work this time is often not considered working hours..“This can be found under the Canada Labour Code. This can negatively affect work-life balance..“In today’s world of work the lines have been blurred between being at work and not at work..“This is due to the following factors: the constant connection to mobile devices, and the rapid rise of remote work.”.Stats Canada estimates 40 per cent of Canadians worked from home in the early weeks of the pandemic..“The main beneficiaries of a right to disconnect are likely to be workers with nine to five jobs who do not expect to be working off-hours,” wrote staff..The department said “about 27 per cent of federally-regulated employees have been issued a work cellphone or smartphone..“Increased availability of mobile technologies has enabled employers to demand that employees remain reachable off duty,” it said..The department did not estimate costs of electronic overtime..The Canada Labour Code covers 910,000 federally-regulated employees at private sector workplaces including airports, banks, grain mills, marine freighters, radio stations and railways..The Code in the past set benchmark standards for provincial labour laws that govern most Canadian job sites..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
