The Government of Saskatchewan has announced significant amendments to provincial labour laws that will introduce explicit protections for employee tips, limit when employers can demand a sick note and provide new flexibility for businesses.

Under a new section of the Act, employers will be prohibited from withholding, making deductions from, or forcing an employee to return their tips. While the Act allows for tip pooling arrangements among staff, any pooling must be done according to regulated conditions.

Employers will now only be able to request a doctor’s note from an employee if an absence lasts for more than five consecutive days or if there is a pattern of repeated short-term absences.

Employers will be allowed to use a calendar day rather than 24 consecutive hours for the purposes of work schedules and overtime provisions.

Expanded Leaves: The five-day bereavement leave has been expanded to include leave for the loss of a pregnancy. Interpersonal violence leave will now include up to 10 intermittent days and a continuous period of up to 16 weeks.

The number of employees who must be laid off within a four-week period to trigger a “group termination” notice has been increased from 10 to 25.

The changes to The Saskatchewan Employment Act are set to come into force on January 1, 2026.