The Orders Made Under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act in Light of COVID-19 – What Are They?

Editor’s Note on July 27, 2020: With the proclamation of Bill 195 on July 24, 2020, the declared emergency came to an end. Many of the orders below, however, will continue in effect under Bill 195 in accordance with its provisions. This post will no longer be updated. On March 17, 2020, the Ontario government…

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.

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.

COVID-19 and Workplace Preparedness

Health officials in Canada have stated that the risk of contracting COVID-19 remains very low. That said, in recent weeks the virus has been top of mind for many, including employers. In this FTR Now, we discuss workplace pandemic planning and operational issues employers should be anticipating in the unlikely event of an outbreak.

Management Rights, Sick Leave under HOODIP and More

In our first HR Healthcheck of 2020, we discuss two cases you need to know about. The first deals with whether a scheduled medical procedure under conscious sedation falls within the “sick leave” provisions of HOODIP. The second case considers management rights under the central CUPE collective agreement and a Hospital’s right to transfer employees.