Bill 26: An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act

This affects employers of all sizes operating in New Brunswick across every industry — whether you run a construction crew, a restaurant, a retail shop, or a professional services firm. If you have staff who've been with you for more than 90 days, you're now required to hold their job (or an equivalent one) for up to 27 weeks if they get seriously ill or injured. You'll need to manage scheduling and coverage for potentially extended absences, and you may ask for a medical certificate to verify the leave — but the leave itself is unpaid, so there's no direct payroll cost. Smaller operators with tight teams will feel this more acutely, since covering a long-term absence with a small staff is harder to absorb.