BILL 36

An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:

1 The Employment Standards Act, chapter E-7.2 of the Acts of New Brunswick, 1982, is amended by adding after subsection 10(1) the following:

10( 1.1) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the minimum wage shall be deemed to have been duly increased by regulation

(a)  on January 1, 2018, by an amount equivalent to any cost of living increase since April 1, 2017, with respect to the cost to an employee of purchasing the necessities of life, including but not limited to housing, food, clothing, transportation and health care and supplies; and

(b)  every 90 days subsequent to January 1, 2018, by an amount equivalent to any cost of living increase in the previous 90 days with respect to the cost to an employee of purchasing the necessities of life, including but not limited to housing, food, clothing, transportation and health care and supplies.

10( 1.2) The Lieutenant-Governor in Council shall establish by regulation a means of calculating quarterly increases to the cost to an employee of purchasing the necessities of life, including but not limited to housing, food, clothing, transportation and health care and supplies.

2 This Act comes into force on a day to be fixed by proclamation.