Minimum wage increases to $16 an hour in Prince Edward Island

Many people in Prince Edward Island are seeing their salaries increase slightly on October 1.

Minimum wage increases to $16 per hour. This is the second increase this year. It rose from $15 to $15.40 on April 1.

Three days paid sick leave

Additionally, legislative changes on the amount of paid sick leave come into effect. Some workers are now entitled to three such leaves per year.

Eligibility depends on number of years of service. Workers are entitled to one day of paid sick leave after 12 months of continuous service, then two days per year after 24 months of service, and three days per year after 36 months of service.

The Legislative Assembly amended the Employment Standards Act. It states that employers must pay their workers who take such paid leave the same wages as they would have normally earned on those days.

Seasonal workers, gig workers and temporary foreign workers are not eligible, nor are workers who are already entitled to at least three days of paid leave through their employment.

Employees who have at least three months of continuous service with an employer are entitled to three days of unpaid sick leave per year. The employer must first grant them their paid leave as they become entitled to it.

The employer may require any employee who takes three consecutive days of paid sick leave to provide a medical certificate.

There is no requirement for employers to carry over unclaimed paid sick leave days to the following year.

As for the possibility that the number of paid sick leave days will increase in the future, the Minister of Manpower, Jenn Redmondbelieves this is a good first step.

I think that workers, those who will be affected by this measure, have a fairly positive feeling about itaffirms Jenn Redmond.

More electronic devices now recycled

In addition, the expansion of the provincial recycling program for electronic devices also comes into force on October 1.

Fitness equipment, including electric bikes and scooters, elliptical trainers and treadmills, and small wearable devices like pedometers and smart watches, are now being recycled.

Prince Edward Island is the first Atlantic province to add these devices to its recycling program, according to the Minister of the Environment, Steven Myers.

According to a report from Victoria Walton of CBC