The Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV or Coronavirus) was first identified by Chinese officials at the end of December 2019. It originated in Hubei Province and by the end of January 2020, had spread to thousands of people in that area, primarily around the City of Wuhan.
The Coronavirus has now been identified in other countries, including Canada. Canadian health officials state that the risk of contracting Coronavirus here is very low, but by the end of January 2020 cases of Coronavirus in Canada had been confirmed.
While the chances of a mass outbreak are low, nonetheless, prudent employers will want to understand their legal obligations to employees who may become ill or refuse to work, and to have a plan in place to deal with any potential impact on their workplace.
Hicks Morley has the expertise to guide employers through the potential impact the Coronavirus may have on your workplace. For example, we can:
- identify your legal obligations in the workplace, including health and safety
- guide you through the statutory benefits that may be available to employees and assist in interpreting other benefit plans that you may have
- help you assess the privacy implications relating to employees who might be infected and navigate the collection of medical information
- assist with developing emergency preparedness or pandemic plans relating to the workplace
- help you manage absenteeism through the development of contingency plans
- and more.