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e-4363 (Employment and labour)

E-petition
Initiated by Deanne Moore from Vancouver, British Columbia

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:
  • Remote work is a vital accommodation to help disabled individuals, especially those with mobility impairments, stay in the workforce;
  • Research from the Economic Innovation Group showed that disabled individuals aged 25-54 in the U.S. were 3.5% more likely to be employed in Q2 2022 than pre-pandemic because of increased remote work;
  • Remote work has proven beneficial in levelling the playing field for women and mothers, whose careers have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic;
  • Remote work is preferable for some underrepresented groups such those with autism or ADHD;
  • ~4 million Americans have left the workforce due to Long Covid. In the UK, >1.6 million adults over 50 are unable to work due to long-term illness. Workplace exposures pose infection risk;
  • Legislating remote work may help to fill labour gaps and encourage more at-risk workers to rejoin the workforce.
  • Demand for remote work outweighs supply; and
  • Without legislation, remote positions may go to able-bodied individuals rather than people who rely on remote work as a lifeline due to disability, child or elder care responsibilities.
We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to
1. Introduce legislation similar to that in the Netherlands that allows employees the right to access remote work if their positions allow it. With this, employers would not be able to refuse remote work requests based on reasonable grounds; and
2. Create policies that make it clear how workers will be evaluated and promoted based on performance to ensure that those who require remote work accommodations are not disadvantaged over those who work primarily in-person.
Open for signature
April 5, 2023, at 9:19 a.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
August 3, 2023, at 9:19 a.m. (EDT)
Photo - Don Davies
Vancouver Kingsway
New Democratic Party Caucus
British Columbia