Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia - Compensation & Benefit Legislation

NOVA SCOTIA - AAASHOWME

Demonstrates www.BenefitsReview.com™ site. Illustrates insurance carriers coverages within the Province.

NOVA SCOTIA - BEREAVEMENT LEAVE

An employee is entitled to up to three days of unpaid leave on the death of a member of the employee's immediate family. An employee's immediate family includes his or her spouse, child, parent, guardian, sibling, grandchild or grandparent, as well as any person who lives with the employee as a member of the employee's family.

NOVA SCOTIA - CONSULATE

Consulate General - Halifax

Cogswell Tower, Scotia Square Suite 910

2000 Barrington Street

Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3K1

NOVA SCOTIA - COST-OF-LIVING

ERI's Relocation Assessor™ is a recommended source for U.S./Canadian cost-of-living and U.S. Automobile Cost Survey.

NOVA SCOTIA - GARNISHMENTS

Exemptions - 15% is the maximum that can be taken in a garnishment and this may not result in less than $315 a week for an employee with dependents and $210 for others.

Maintenance and Support Orders - This type of order binds over all money due the employee immediately until the order is satisfied.

Wage assignments - Wage assignments are not allowed in Nova Scotia.

NOVA SCOTIA - GROUP HEALTH CODE ADDITIONS

Eligibility - Every resident is required to register.

Waiting Period - If coming from outside Canada, eligibility is upon arrival. If coming from within Canada, there is a three month waiting period.

Premiums - There are no premiums.

NOVA SCOTIA - HOLIDAYS

New Year's, Good Friday, Canada Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day.

Holiday Pay: Time plus 1/2 plus regular pay or regular pay plus alternative day.

(Nova Scotia Labour Standards)

NOVA SCOTIA - JURY DUTY & WITNESS TIME OFF

See "Court Leave" under LEAVES OF ABSENCE (below).

NOVA SCOTIA - LEAVES OF ABSENCE

Bereavement Leave - 3 days unpaid leave for death of immediate family member, i.e. spouse, child, parent. One day’s unpaid leave for other relatives.

Court Leave - Employee is entitled to unpaid leave for jury duty or being required to appear in court.

NOVA SCOTIA - MINIMUM AGE

Minimum age in Nova Scotia is 14. No person under 14 may be employed in work that is unwholesome, harmful to health, or prejudicial to the person’s education. Prohibited is:

working more than 8 hours in a day,
3 hours on a school day,
after 10:00pm or before 6 am.

NOVA SCOTIA - MINIMUM REMUNERATION

Minimum Remuneration: $5.80 per hour (effective October 1, 2001).

Minimum Daily Remuneration: 3 hours.

Overtime: Time + 1/2 over 48 hours per week.

(Nova Scotia Labour Standards)

NOVA SCOTIA - REMUNERATION

ERI's Relocation Assessor™ is a recommended source for U.S./Canadian wages & salaries (covering 3,000 positions).

NOVA SCOTIA - PARENTAL LEAVE

Maternity Leave: 17 weeks after 12 months of employment.

Parental Leave: Each parent: 17 weeks after 12 months of employment.

(Nova Scotia Labour Standards)

NOVA SCOTIA - PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS

Eligibility for Membership - Employees must have completed 24 months of continuous employment.

Vesting - The employee is vested after 24 months of continuous membership in the plan.

Interest on Member Contributions - The prescribed rate may be the fund rate provided it is greater than 0% or the yield of 5 year fixed term deposits.

Minimum Employer Contributions - The employer is required to pay at least 50% of the value of the accrued pension.

Normal Retirement- Normal retirement may not be later than one year after the employees 65th birthday.

Early Retirement - Pension plans must permit early retirement within 10 years of normal retirement.

Survivor Benefits - The surviving spouse of an active employee is entitled to 60% of the commuted value of the pension. Where there is no surviving spouse the estate is entitled to a return of the deceased employees contributions plus interest.

Portability - A terminating employee may transfer his/her pension rights to an RRSP, to a new employer’s pension plan or purchase a deferred annuity.

NOVA SCOTIA - PREVAILING WAGE/IMMIGRANT PAY

Neither Canada nor any of the provinces has "prevailing wage" regulations that relate to foreign workers. There is a policy in place regarding immigrants that ensures that employers first consider Canadian citizens, as well as permanent residents, and that the entry of foreign workers will not adversely affect employment or career opportunities for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. In general, the offer of employment to a foreign worker requires validation by a Human Resources Canada Centre (HRCC), except when a foreign worker is exempt through an international agreement or falls under one of the exemption categories (wages and working conditions, the employer's efforts to consider Canadian citizens as well as permanent residents, etc.). These cases must be examined by a Human Resources and Development Canada (HRDC) officer in order to grant a validation of an offer of employment. Canada does not have any salary scale established, but rather the officers consider the experience of the worker, the education, and the job market situation, unions, and job advertisements to determine whether that the pay is "acceptable Canadian wages". For more information on hiring foreign workers, refer to the Human Resources and Development Canada's web site http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/hrib/lmd-dmt/fw-te/common/a.shtml, as well as the Citizenship and Immigration Canada's web site http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/about/faq/ask%2D16e.html. These two federal departments are responsible for this policy. The former is responsible for the validation of the offer of employment; the latter is responsible for the employment authorization.

NOVA SCOTIA - TERMINATION & SEVERANCE PAY

Notice of Termination by Employer: 1 week after 3 months; 2 weeks after 2 years; 4 weeks after 5 years; 8 weeks after 10 or more years.

Vacation Pay Upon Termination: 4% of annual earnings.

(Nova Scotia Labour Standards)

Payment Required: On expiry of termination notice.

NOVA SCOTIA - UNEMPLOYMENT TAX

See Federal Unemployment Insurance

NOVA SCOTIA - VACATION PAY

2 weeks.

(Nova Scotia Labour Standards)

NOVA SCOTIA - VOTING TIME OFF

Time Allowed: Three consecutive hours. Employees engaged in operation of trains, buses, motor transports, ships and aircraft excepted.

Penalties for violation: Fine not exceeding $2000, or imprisonment up to two years, or both.

Authority: R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 140, ss. 133 and 210.

NOVA SCOTIA - WORKERS' COMPENSATION

Maximum Assessable Earnings - $38,600.

Waiting Periods -

Pay for day of injury - no.

Compensation for day of injury - no.

Compensation payable day after injury - after 2 days.

Waiting Period - 2 days.

Weekly Benefits for Temporary Disability -75% of net earnings, 85% after 26 weeks.

Monthly Permanent Disability - Permanent Impairment Benefit [PIB] is:

PIB = 30% x %PMI x 85% of net pre-accident earnings.

where PMI = Permanent Medical Impairment Rating.

Administration: Workers' Compensation Board, 5668 South Street, P.O. Box 1150, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2X9.

(Nova Scotia Labour Standards)