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….
Practice Area: Occupational Health
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.
Alia Rashid
Alia Rashid, a lawyer with Hicks Morley’s Toronto office, provides advice to employers and management in both the private and public sectors on labour, employment and human rights issues. This includes wrongful dismissal actions, employment standards, labour disputes, grievance arbitrations, human rights and accommodation.
Evon J. Gayle
Evon Gayle, a lawyer with Hicks Morley’s Waterloo office, provides advice to employers and management in both the private and public sectors on human resources issues. This involves labour, employment law and employment equity, workers’ compensation, human rights and accommodation, occupational health and safety, and anti-racism policy development and implementation.
Danika L. Winkel
Danika represents a broad range of public- and private-sector employers—both small and large—in trials, hearings, motions, applications, judicial reviews and appeals. In addition to that work, she provides proactive, day-to-day advice to help employers avoid litigation.
Canada Labour Code COVID-19 Leave Extended by an Additional 4 Weeks
The COVID-19 leave available under the Canada Labour Code has been extended an additional 4 weeks, from 24 weeks to 28 weeks, effective September 4, 2020. This change is to align the leave with the recent increase to the number of weeks an employee can receive the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
Ontario (Again) Updates Its COVID-19 Self-Assessment
Ontario employers who are planning for an eventual return to work have been keeping a close eye on the province’s COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool (Tool). The Tool directs Ontarians to self-isolate in certain circumstances. This is important because it relates to employers’ Occupational Health and Safety Act duties and their duty to provide statutorily-protected leaves under the Employment Standards Act, 2000.
Bill 195 Passes: Declared Emergency Will End But Emergency Orders Will Continue
On July 21, 2020, Bill 195, Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 received Royal Assent. The Ontario government has announced that the new Act will be proclaimed in force on July 24, 2020. As set out in greater detail in our FTR Now of July 15, 2020, this means that the COVID-19 declared emergency will come to an end on July 24, 2020.
Province Amends Stage 2 Closure Order Effective July 17
On Thursday, July 16, the Ontario government published a regulation that amends the existing Stage 2 Closure Order (Order) made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). The amendments took effect at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 17, 2020, and are therefore already in force.
Ontario Extends Declared Emergency to July 24, 2020
Further to our FTR Now of July 15, 2020 in which we outlined the changes proposed by Bill 195, Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2000, it has come to our attention that by motion in the Legislature on July 13, 2020, the Ontario government extended the declared emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) to July 24, 2020.