OMERS Announces Significant Plan Amendments, Including Amendments to Support Members Affected by COVID-19

Participating employers in the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) should be aware of five amendments to the OMERS Primary Pension Plan (Primary Plan) approved by the OMERS Sponsors Corporation Board (SC Board) on June 24, 2020. The changes will be of interest to employers in the municipal and school board sectors with employees who participate in OMERS and include several amendments to address COVID-19-related issues. In addition, two non-COVID-19-related amendments were adopted, including a major change to eligibility for non-full-time employees.

The Latest Updates for School Boards Before the Summer

As the 2019 – 2020 school year draws to a close, it would be an understatement to say that the year did not go as expected. From the hurried transition to online learning to the ongoing adjustment to the “new normal” of synchronous learning, we know that our clients have successfully navigated unprecedented and difficult challenges – and that there will be more to come.

Federal Government Introduces Changes to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy

On June 10, 2020, the federal government introduced Bill C-17, An Act respecting additional COVID-19 measures (Bill C-17). Among other changes, if passed in its current form, Bill C-17 would amend the Income Tax Act to revise the eligibility criteria for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS).

Ontario Government Provides Temporary Relief from ESA Termination and Severance Provisions in Response to COVID-19

On Friday, May 29, 2020, the Ontario government published a new regulation under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) that is intended to provide temporary relief from the ESA’s termination and severance provisions for employers whose operations have been shut down or otherwise curtailed by COVID-19 – O. Reg. 228/20, Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (IDEL Regulation).

Ensuring a Successful Return to Work in a COVID-19 World

As governments start lifting orders and directives made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (or similar legislation in other jurisdictions), it is understandable that employers and employees alike are anxious to return to their ‘pre-COVID-19 normal’. However, in order to ensure a successful return to work during the largest pandemic in modern history, it is crucial that employers turn their minds to the unique labour and employment issues created by COVID-19 and reopen with a solid return to work plan in place.

Employees Who Continue to Work from Home – Practical Considerations for Employers

As provinces begin to roll out reopening plans for non-essential businesses, the logistical challenges of implementing social distancing in some workplaces mean that many employees will continue to work from home for the foreseeable future. As companies consider which employees will be asked to return to the workplace, and when, the legal considerations and risks associated with work from home arrangements should be taken into account.

Ontario Announces First Stage of Reopening Province

On May 14, 2020, the Ontario government announced that certain workplaces will be able to resume operations beginning May 19, 2020, signalling the start of Stage 1 of the second phase of the province’s reopening strategy, “A Framework for Reopening our Province” (Stage 1). The government also announced additional seasonal services and activities that may open May 16, 2020.