Ontario has again revised its Rules For Areas In Stage 3 (Rules) in light of the increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in Ontario. The new rules include a province-wide mandatory masking requirement and additional restrictions for Ottawa, Toronto and Peel Region Public Health Units (defined as the “Enhanced Measures Zone”). The changes came into force on October 3, 2020.
Industry: Construction
Nadine Zacks Quoted in Canadian HR Reporter on Screening Workers for COVID
Canadian HR Reporter quoted Hicks Morley’s Nadine Zacks in a October 1, 2020 article titled “Are you screening workers for COVID?” Employers in Ontario are now required to apply a daily COVID-19 screening test to employees and essential visitors before they enter the workplace. As noted in the article, employers should keep appropriate records so…
Federal Government Proposes New Holiday: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
On September 29, 2020, the federal government tabled Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation). If passed, Bill C-5 would create a new federal holiday entitled the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with the purpose of…
COVID-19 Leave in Canada Labour Code to be Extended
Early on September 30, 2020, the federal House of Commons passed Bill C-4, COVID-19 Response Measures Act. It amends the Leave Related to COVID-19 provisions of the Canada Labour Code to extend the leave to September 25, 2021. It also enacts the Canada Recovery Benefits Act which establishes certain benefits as a result of COVID-19….
Employers Take Note: New Requirements for COVID-19 Screening for Employees and Essential Visitors Now in Effect **
The Ontario government has announced that Ontario employers are now required to apply a COVID-19 screening test to employees and essential visitors before they enter the workplace.
Proposed Extension of Current Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) Calculation for Inactive Employees Through Claim Period 8
The federal government has announced that it intends to extend the current treatment of employees on leave with pay under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program by a further four weeks, from September 27, 2020 to October 24, 2020 (CEWS claim period 8).
Lucy Wu
Lucy is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. She provides advice and representation to employers in both the private and public sector on a wide-range of labour, employment and human rights issues. Having held a management role prior to commencing law school, Lucy is uniquely positioned to assist employers and management in navigating various labour and employment issues.
Andrew J. Movrin
Andrew Movrin is a labour, employment and privacy lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. He advises unionized and non-unionized employers across federally and provincially regulated sectors in both the public and private spheres.
Ontario Introduces Temporary Funding Relief for Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Sponsors of defined benefit (DB) pension plans registered in Ontario have been given significant temporary contribution relief as part of the Ontario government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On September 21, 2020, Ontario Regulation 520/20 (Regulation) was filed. The Regulation amends Regulation 909 made under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act (PBA) to permit temporary contribution deferral for certain eligible DB pension plans, and extend the time over which catch-up contributions following the filing of a new valuation report must be made.
Ontario Government Announces Extension of Temporary Relief from ESA Termination and Severance Provisions
On Thursday, September 3, 2020, the Ontario government announced that it would be extending the temporary relief measures from the termination and severance provisions of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) until January 2, 2021. The temporary measures are found in Ontario Regulation 228/20, Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (IDEL Regulation), and had been set to expire today (September 4, 2020). The IDEL Regulation has been amended to define the “COVID-19 period” as that period beginning on March 1, 2020 and ending on January 2, 2021