The Government of Canada knows that as the way we work evolves, labour protections must evolve as well. They must evolve to reflect the realities of working Canadians. This includes protections such as those provided in the Canada Labour Code. In order to address today's workplace realities, the Government wants to better understand:

• the experiences of gig workers* in federally regulated sectors. This includes those who work through digital platforms like delivery or freelance applications
• how federally regulated workers could benefit from a “right to disconnect”. For example, having clear expectations for the use of cellphones after workers finish their day

*Gig workers: Workers who enter into short-term contracts to complete specific and often one-off tasks.

Over the next few weeks, we want you to tell us what it is really like to work in Canada today. We want to hear from both workers and employers:

• what challenges are you facing?
• do you or your workers often work outside of regular work hours using:
  • smartphones, and
  • other e-communication devices?
• what is your experience as a gig worker or working with gig workers in your organization?

Tell us about it!

How to participate

There are several ways to participate in the online consultation.

You can participate at any time until April 30, 2021.

Who this consultation will focus on

All Canadians are welcome to take part in this consultation.

On the issue of gig work, we would especially like to hear from anyone with experience as:

• a gig worker, or
• a digital platform worker

We are also interested in hearing from anyone who has contracted with such workers. To expand on the feedback we gain through this initial consultation, other consultations are planned for later this year.

On the issue of the right to disconnect, we are particularly interested in hearing from federally regulated employees and employers. Federally regulated workplaces include, among others, the following sectors:

• banking
• telecommunications
• broadcasting
• road transportation services

A full list of federally regulated industries is available here.

Since October 2020, the Right to Disconnect Advisory Committee has been holding a series of meetings. The committee includes representatives from:

• federally regulated employers
• unions
• other organizations

They will provide recommendations on how the Government could move forward with this commitment.

Key questions for discussion

The Government wants to understand how you think we should update federal labour protections. We also want to know:

• do you often find it hard to balance the demands of work and personal life?
• do you often find it hard to “disconnect” or switch off from work at the end of the day? How does this impact you?
  • if you are an employer:
    • does your organization currently have a policy in place that deals with the use of workplace mobile devices after working hours?
• are you a gig worker (someone who enters into short-term contracts to complete specific and often one-off tasks)? What is your experience with this type of work?
• what made you decide to become a gig worker or digital platform worker?
  • if you are an employer:
    • has your organization contracted gig workers? Did this arrangement work well? Why?

Protecting the well-being of all workers is a priority for the Government of Canada. The Government is seeking to better understand the experiences of gig workers. This is to address today’s workplace realities. This includes those:

• who work through digital platforms
• whose status is not clearly covered by provincial or federal laws

Additionally, the following factors have blurred the boundaries between what it means to be “at work” and “not at work”:

• the increased availability of mobile technologies
• the rising number of Canadians working from home

This is why the Government is working to develop a policy that gives federally regulated workers the right to disconnect. This policy will be co-developed with employers and labour groups.

Related information

• Backgrounder on the right to disconnect
• Backgrounder on gig workers and digital platform workers

Contact us

Labour Program

Email: ESDC.NC.LABOUR.CONSULTATIONS-TRAVAIL.NC.EDSC@labour-travail.gc.ca