Practice Area: Occupational Health

Hicks Morley Office Changes as of March 16, 2020

Hicks Morley continues to monitor changes to the COVID-19 situation.  Our priority has been and continues to be our firm members, our clients and the community.  We are making efforts to do our part to reduce the risk and effective immediately, we will continue to have lawyers and staff onsite but most of our lawyers…

Update on COVID-19 for Employers: Ontario to Amend the ESA to Protect Jobs

· 19 min read

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

· 5 min read

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.

Hicks Morley’s Response to COVID-19

All of our offices are presently open for business. As recognized leaders in the areas of employment and labour law, Hicks Morley is well-positioned to assist you in your compliance obligations, developing contingency plans and managing the health and safety of your workforce. We have developed a dedicated webpage as a resource regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) to assist employers in navigating the potential impact this pandemic may have on your workplace.

Jennifer J. Querney

Jennifer provides advice and representation to employers and management in both the private and public sector on labour, employment and human rights issues.

COVID-19 and Workplace Preparedness

· 5 min read

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.

Ontario Safety Blitz to Target Construction Sites, Roadworks

· 1 min read

The Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development has announced that from February 4, 2020 to March 13, 2020, Ontario workplace inspectors will be conducting a safety blitz targeting construction sites and roadwork projects. During this blitz, inspectors will be focusing on personal protective equipment (PPE) which may include a variety of items, depending on…

Ontario Amends Sign Requirements under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017

· 1 min read

On December 13, 2019, the Ontario government filed Ontario Regulation 430/19 (Regulation) which amends Ontario Regulation 268/18 (General) made under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 with respect to the sign requirements for employers and proprietors. The Regulation comes into force on January 1, 2020. As we previously reported, pursuant to Ontario Regulation 268/18, employers and…