Payroll Reporter
Can
R
Can
R
adian adian a
www.payroll-reporter.com
March 2019
Minimum wage getting a boost
British Columbia, Nova Scotia among jurisdictions planning large rate hikes in 2019
BY SHEILA BRAWN
WITH CALLS for a $15 minimum wage con-
tinuing across Canada, some jurisdictions
with much lower rates are opting for higher
than normal rate hikes this year.
Prince Edward Island will raise its mini-
mum wage by $0.70 an hour on April 1
to $12.25, the largest increase in the past
decade.
Nova Scotia's minimum wage will rise by
$0.55 an hour on April 1 to $11.55, the largest
increase in almost a decade and much higher
than the typical $0.10 to $0.20 raises over the
last five years.
The rate is scheduled to rise by about $0.55
a year over the next three years.
While the increases will not bring mini-
mum wage employees in those jurisdictions
to the $15 rate that workers' advocates say is a
first step for reducing poverty, governments
insist that the hikes strike a balance between
the needs of workers and the economy.
"This increase provides support to those
most in need, puts more money into the pock-
ets of Islanders and stimulates our provincial
see ROUNDUP page 7
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Legislative Roundup
Changes in payroll laws and regulations
from across Canada
see PHOENIX page 6
Credit:
V
J
Matthew
(Shutterstock)
see YUKON page 2
Halifax workers will soon see the largest provincial minimum wage hike in nearly a decade.
News in Brief pg. 4
Federal Court approves EI class action
settlement | Automation not hurting
headcounts: Survey | HR management
trends identifi ed in report
Remittance rules pg. 3
Take some time to test
your knowledge of the
Canada Revenue Agency's
payroll regulations
Ask an Expert pg. 5
Incorrect address on
employees' T4s | Minimum
standards for bereavement
leave
Feds overhauling
overpayment rules
Changes aimed at systemic errors stemming
from administrative, clerical missteps
BY SHEILA BRAWN
THE FEDERAL Finance Department is proposing new rules for em-
ployee repayment of salary overpayments that result from system,
administrative, or clerical errors.
After having to deal with payroll problems for its own work-
ers arising from its Phoenix pay system, the federal government is
Federal
Government expected to implement
new EI benefi t this month
The federal government is expected to launch a new employment
insurance (EI) parental sharing benefit on March 17.
The new measure will provide an extra five weeks of EI parental
benefits for parents who agree to share the program's standard 35
weeks of parental benefits, for a total of 40 weeks.
