November 23, 2012

MANITOBA GOVERNMENT PROPOSES NEW JOB LEAVES FOR FAMILIES COPING WITH TRAUMATIC EVENTS INVOLVING CHILDREN

Manitoba has introduced legislative amendments that would create new job-protected work leaves for parents of critically ill children and children who have died or disappeared as a result of crime, Family Services and Labour Minister Jennifer Howard announced today.
“I can imagine nothing more painful than losing a child.  These changes will make sure parents in tragic circumstance don’t also have to fear losing their jobs,” said Howard.  “These new leaves will help them continue providing for their families during a very difficult time.”
Under the proposed amendments, parents would be allowed:

• up to 37 weeks off work to care for a critically ill child,
• up to 104 weeks off work if a child has died as a result of a crime, and
• up to 52 weeks off work if a child has disappeared as a result of a crime.

To qualify, employees must have worked for the same employer for at least 30 days and the child must be under the age of 18.
The proposed amendments to work leaves under Manitoba’s Employment Standards Code are designed to complement new federal income support benefits.  The federal benefits will be available for parents of a murdered or missing child in January 2013, and for parents of a critically ill child in June 2013.
Employees entitled to such a leave from their job must be a person who has care, custody or control of the child and is considered to be like a close relative, whether or not they are related.
An employee wishing to take either one of these leaves would be required to give their employer advance notice of at least one pay period, unless this is not possible.  Notice of one pay period is also required when employees are returning to work early from the leave.
The leaves are based on unanimous recommendations by the Labour Management Review Committee, which is made up of business and labour representatives.
More information on the newly introduced job-protection leaves for parents is available at www.manitoba.ca/labour/standards/.

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Margaret Pidlaski

She always had a smile on her face and you could tell she meant it.  When I read that she was the only survivor in a crash in Mexico 30 years ago and now she's the only one who died in this accident, makes me wonder was this one of those meaningful coincidence or synchronicity happening  or is it just a random thing?
   Thirty years ago was not her time so she lived or did she make a pact with God and told Him to give her some more time, maybe 30 years more and next time she will be ready.  Thirty years to the young Pidlaski would have seemed like a long time and that she'd be ready. But she was still young and vibrant at 57 years. She had so much more to live for and to give to the world. These incidences causes one to pause and think about life as whole.

While it is a sad event, I would say if she was to die anyway, I am sure glad she died doing something she was passionate about. I am glad she did not let fear cripple her from exploring the world again after her first accident. She lived and at the end of the day as I always remind folks it is not the years of life but the life in the years that really matters. From all accounts, Margaret packed a lot of life in her years. RIP my friend and colleague.