PROVINCE REMOVES THE NORTHERN OVERTIME EXEMPTION

Labour Minister David Forbes announced today that the Province will eliminate the Northern Overtime Exemption, a labour standards regulation that has been on the books for more than 50 years.

“This government is committed to helping people in the North build better futures, and precluding our northerners from collecting overtime in the same way people in the south do, runs counter to that spirit,” Forbes said.  “The review of the Northern Overtime Exemption this past summer clearly indicated this regulation has outlived its utility.”

The exemption will be repealed effective September 1, 2007, to allow northern employers time to become familiar with the administration of overtime and alternate ways to accommodate flexible hours under Saskatchewan’s Labour Standards Act.

“There are other labour standards mechanisms in place, such as averaging of hours permits, that have proven sufficient for businesses to prosper in the southern part of the province, including rural and remote areas,” Forbes said.  “We see no reason to keep the northern exemption in place when there are so clearly other alternatives.”

The province will also treat fishers and trappers as primary producers (like the traditional family farm) under The Labour Standards Act, so overtime provisions will not apply to these producers.  The province will also grant a regulatory exemption to sections 6 and 12 of The Labour Standards Act to outfitters across the province and those working in mineral exploration north of Township 62.  The unique work situations in these occupations make these overtime regulations impractical.

Removing the exemption was a recommendation included in Ron Harper’s final report on The Northern Exemption Review.  Regina Northeast MLA Ron Harper was appointed by Premier Lorne Calvert to hold consultations on this issue across the North last summer.

“I met with many northerners to hear what they had to say on this issue,” Harper said.  “Their message came through loud and clear – northerners want to see the exemption removed, and I am pleased that we will do so.”

The current Northern Overtime Exemption is a labour standards regulation that exempts some employers operating north of Township 62 from the hours of work and overtime provisions of The Labour Standards Act, 1995.  It does not apply to Uranium City, or workers within 10 km of (or inside) La Ronge and Creighton.

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For more information, contact:

Natosha Lipinski
Labour
Regina
Phone: 306-787-3716
Email: nlipinski@lab.gov.sk.ca