By Dori Modney with files from The Canadian Press

Public input sought as Province releases recommendations on rules for Alberta farm workers

Mar 6, 2017 | 2:34 PM

EDMONTON –   The group examining employment standards for Alberta’s agriculture sector, also known as Bill 6, is recommending that farm workers should not get overtime pay.

The Employment Standards Technical Working Group has been reviewing the standards to see how it could apply to farm and ranch workers.

The group says standards around pay, employment records, job-protected leaves and termination notice should apply to workers.

However, it recommends having no set hours of work or breaks and no overtime.

It recommends that non-family employees get four days off every 28 days, at the employer’s discretion.

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The group says family members who are employed at farms and ranches should be exempt from all employment standards.

The purpose of the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, which was passed in December 2015, was to bring the protection and compensation of waged, non-family farm and ranch workers in line with similar protections in other sectors and other Canadian provinces.

In May 2016, six working groups began drawing up recommendations on how employment standards, labour relations, and occupational health and safety requirements could be applied to meet the unique needs of the agriculture industry.  The working groups that were reviewing employment standards and labour relations have completed their work and their recommendations are now posted online.

Albertans have until April 3 to provide feedback to government.

The next step is for Government to begin drafting legislative amendments based on the recommendations and public feedback received.