New Brunswick workers now have guaranteed job protection if a severe illness strikes. This spring, the province passed a law allowing you to take up to 27 weeks of unpaid sick leave without losing your job. This move makes New Brunswick the final province to adopt these extended safeguards, completing a nationwide shift that protects workers across all 10 provinces. According to a recent report by The Canadian Press, this change aligns provincial labour laws with federal employment insurance benefits.

Real Protection for Vulnerable Workers

Before this year, New Brunswick only offered a few days of protected sick leave. This left workers vulnerable during major health crises. Natalie Lipschultz experienced this firsthand. Diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in late 2019, she tried to balance her job at an insurance company with grueling chemotherapy. In January 2020, a severe drug reaction sent her to the emergency room. Her employer fired her the next day.

Lipschultz joined the Canadian Cancer Society to advocate for better protections. She says knowing your job is safe reduces massive emotional and financial pressure. “It would definitely be a huge comfort and potentially very life saving to some people that really need to have that support, and have that in the back of their minds that they do have something to go back to,” Lipschultz said.

Aligning with Federal Benefits

Cancer costs the average Canadian patient nearly $33,000 over their lifetime. The new 27 week protection period directly supports workers accessing federal Employment Insurance sickness benefits. The federal program provides up to 55 percent of your average weekly earnings for 26 weeks.

Eric Tucker, a retired employment law professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, views this as a major victory for labour rights. “Just think in terms of a sort of a common sense of justice, the idea that workers could be terminated from their jobs because they have a long term illness seems really quite unfair and unreasonable,” Tucker said. He notes that as long as you qualify for employment insurance, you now have the right to return to your job.

Good for Business

These protections do not just help employees. They also provide stability for businesses. Jennifer Robson, an associate professor at Carleton University, points out that protected leave helps employers retain valuable staff. “When you have these leave arrangements, it creates a greater predictability that employers can count on the fact that their experienced worker is expected to be back,” Robson said. “And that’s important for maintaining that relationship between employers and employees.”

What Comes Next

Andrea Seale, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society, credits patients and advocates for driving this change across the provinces. “It shows what is possible when people raise their voices together for better health outcomes,” Seale said. While all 10 provinces now offer this protection, advocacy continues. The Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut still lack similar extended illness leave laws.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many weeks of protected sick leave do New Brunswick workers get?

You now receive up to 27 weeks of unpaid, job protected sick leave.

Do I get paid during this leave?

The provincial leave is unpaid. However, you can apply for federal Employment Insurance sickness benefits, which cover up to 55 percent of your average weekly earnings for 26 weeks.

Can my employer fire me for taking this leave?

No. The law guarantees your job remains protected while you take this approved medical leave.

Does this law apply everywhere in Canada?

All 10 provinces now have similar laws. The Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut do not yet offer these extended protections.