Bill 148 will have less of an impact on Highlands East than originally anticipated.
The province has made some amendments to exclude essential workers, sure as firefighters, snowplow operators and utility workers from the on-call provision of the bill. The bill currently says any employee is required to be paid for being on call whether they work or not.
It would have cost Highlands East more than $13,000 to pay snowplow operators to be on-call.
Mayor Dave Burton says he is pleasantly surprised the province has amended the bill.
Burton adds this will make budget preparations for 2018 much easier.
According to a municipal financial statement, the minimum wage increase to $14 an hour by New Year’s will add over $11,000 in expenses. Click here to see the financial report.
(Written by Kenny Trenton)