Flex Work Consultation Under Way in Canada
Canadians can submit their views through an online survey open until June 30, and the government will hold roundtables nationwide in coming weeks to hear from employers, workers, academics, and others.
Canada's Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, MaryAnn Mihychuk, this week launched a new consultation in which she's asking Canadians for their input by June 30 on flexible work arrangements. The idea is to give Canadians the right to request flexible work arrangements at their workplaces.
"Flex Work can take many forms but usually involves giving someone the right to change where or when they work to help balance other responsibilities," her agency's announcement states. "Reasons could include allowing someone to pick up or drop off their child at day care or school, to take care of a loved one, enroll in training or education program, or participate in traditional Indigenous practices such as hunting or fishing. There are many reasons why someone might need a little more flexibility in their schedule, and under our plan they would have the formal right to request it."
Canadians can submit their views through an online survey open until June 30, and the government will hold roundtables nationwide in coming weeks to hear from employers, workers, academics, and others.
The plan is to amend the Canada Labour Code to provide every federally regulated worker the right to formally request a flexible work arrangement, which fulfills a commitment in Mihychuk's mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. His government also will work with interested provinces and territories to give their workers the right to request flexible work arrangements.
"It's time we gave Canadians the flexibility they need to balance their busy lives at home and at work. Our plan will do just that, and I'm looking forward to hearing from Canadians about how flexible work arrangements could help them," Mihychuk said.