Today, the Minister of Labour, Filomena Tassi, invited Canadians to participate in an online consultation to share their views on:
- gig work (where workers enter into short-term contracts to complete specific and often one-off tasks, generally through digital platforms) in federally regulated sectors; and
- a “right to disconnect” and its potential benefits for federally regulated workers, for example, improving work-life balance by setting clear expectations around the use of cellphones after the workday is done.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gig workers’ vulnerability and Canadians’ dependence on them to provide essential services. The pandemic has also meant that more Canadians are now working from home, blurring the lines between their home and work lives.
The consultation is open to everyone, and includes a discussion forum and a space to share stories about what it’s like to work in Canada today. Feedback from the consultation will help inform how labour protections could potentially be adapted for gig workers and how a policy on the “right to disconnect” could support work-life balance and workers’ well-being in federally regulated workplaces. Individuals have until April 30, 2021, to share their views.
