On March 25, 2020, the provincial government passed Bill 188, Economic and Fiscal Update Act, 2020, which amends various statutes, including the Personal Health Protection Information Act, 2004 (PHIPA). Included among these amendments are new requirements for health information custodians relating to electronic audit logs, requirements for “consumer electronic service providers,” the ability of justices to make production orders, administrative penalties that can be issued by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (Commissioner) and a significant increase in the amount of penalties and possible imprisonment for offences. Unless otherwise indicated, these amendments came into force on March 25, 2020.
Industry: Media & Communications
New Canada Emergency Response Benefit and Tax Relief Measures
Bill C-13, COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, received Royal Assent on March 25, 2020 after swift passage by Parliament and the Senate. This federal legislation implements the income support and other fiscal measures announced by the federal government on March 18, 2020.
New Leave Relating to COVID-19 under Canada Labour Code
On March 25, 2020, the federal government passed Bill C-13, COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, which contains various fiscal and other measures designed to deal expeditiously with the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Included among these measures is an amendment to the Canada Labour Code (Code) which provides an unpaid leave of up to 16 weeks for employees who are unable or unavailable to work for reasons related to COVID-19. The COVID-19 Leave came into force on March 25, 2020.
CHRT Seeks Feedback on Rules of Procedure to be Developed Under New Pay Equity Act
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) is seeking feedback on specific questions related to the development of the Rules of Procedure under the federal Pay Equity Act (Act), which is expected to come into force sometime in 2020.
Ontario’s Announcement about Closure of Non-Essential Businesses: Questions and Answers for Employers
On March 23, 2020 Premier Doug Ford announced that effective 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, all non-essential businesses will be ordered to close for 14 days, and possibly longer. This order is made further to the emergency declared on March 17, 2020 under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Here is what employers need to consider now.
Ontario Amends the ESA to Extend Employee Protections in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 19, 2020, the Ontario Legislature met in an emergency session to pass legislation to extend protections for employees in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bill 186, the Employment Standards Amendment Act (Infectious Disease Emergencies), 2020 amends the leaves of absence provisions of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) to provide more leave entitlements to employees impacted by the pandemic and to prohibit employers from requesting medical notes in relation to the new leave.
Federal Government Announces Further Support for Workers Affected by COVID-19
On March 18, 2020, the federal government announced an $82 billion aid package, with $27 billion in direct income support for individuals and businesses affected by COVID-19, and $55 billion to assist with liquidity in the form of tax deferrals.
Ontario Declares Emergency in Light of COVID-19
On March 17, 2020, the Ontario government declared an emergency in Ontario as a result of COVID-19. It ordered the immediate closure of a number of venues, as well as enhanced funding for the province’s response to COVID-19.
Update on COVID-19 for Employers: Ontario to Amend the ESA to Protect Jobs
Today, the Ontario government announced that it will be introducing legislation to amend the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) in light of COVID-19. In addition, the federal government announced, among other things, that the Canadian border will be closed to foreign nationals, with some exceptions.
Update: COVID-19 – Questions and Answers for Employers
As we learn more about the Novel Coronavirus (2019-vCoV or Coronavirus), employers will no doubt be contemplating the potential implications of this virus on their workplaces. We have set out below some of the emerging questions that employers may have right now and our answers and guidelines for how to address these issues.