Quebec will establish a preventive leave program specifically for construction workers who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The program is included in the omnibus bill introduced last week by Labour Minister Jean Boulet. The legislation addresses collective agreement decrees and the construction industry.
Under the proposed law, the new preventive leave program for construction workers will complement existing benefits under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Minister Boulet said the program is needed because construction workers often lose eligibility for the Safe Maternity Program (Programme pour une maternité sans danger, PMSD) due to the temporary and mobile nature of their work. Many workers move from site to site and may be laid off once a project ends, causing them to lose their employment connection and associated benefits.
The minister called the initiative “very good news” for women in the sector, adding it sends an important signal as industry stakeholders have taken steps to increase women’s participation in construction.
“Preventive leave has long been awaited by the construction industry, unions, and employers alike,” Boulet said.
The program will be created by the Commission de la construction du Québec and administered by the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST).
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
