The Ontario government has updated its COVID-19 tool for screening workers before they go to work each day. The “COVID-19 Screening Tool for Businesses and Organizations (Screening Workers),” issued by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, contains several changes of note to employers. These include: a reference to the regulatory screening requirement under O. Reg….
Tag: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Ashlee Common quoted in Law Times on Changes to Rules of Civil Procedure
Law Times quoted Hicks Morley’s Ashlee Common in a January 12, 2021 article titled “Changes to Rules of Civil Procedure will save paper, time and money, say lawyers”. The Ontario government has filed regulatory amendments to the Rules of Civil Procedure (Rules) which come into effect on January 1, 2021. Many of the amendments update the Rules…
Ontario Announces Provincewide Shutdown
On December 21, 2020, the Ontario government announced a provincewide shutdown, effective Saturday December 26, 2020. As of that date, all parts of the province will be moved into the Grey Zone and will be subject to modified Rules for Areas in Stage 1 (Stage 1 Rules). Because different areas of the province are under…
Temporary Relief from ESA Termination and Severance Pay Obligations for Hospitality and Related Industries
On December 17, 2020, the Ontario government filed a new regulation under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), Ontario Regulation 764/20: Terms And Conditions Of Employment In Defined Industries – Hospitality, Tourism And Convention And Trade Show Industries (Regulation). As stated by the government, the Regulation provides certain employers with an alternative to putting termination…
Ontario Government Announces Extension of Temporary Relief from ESA Termination and Severance Provisions
Effective December 17, 2020, the Ontario government has extended the temporary relief measures from the termination and severance provisions of the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) until July 3, 2021. The temporary measures are found in Ontario Regulation 228/20, Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (IDEL Regulation), and had been set to expire January 2, 2021. The…
Ontario Expands Testing for COVID-19 – What Employers Need to Know
On November 20, 2020, the Ontario government filed two regulations that allow point-of-care testing for COVID-19 to take place outside of laboratories and permit an expanded list of healthcare professionals to perform COVID-19 testing. The regulations came into effect on November 20.
Ontario Places Toronto and Peel Region into Lockdown, Changes Made to Other Regions
On November 20, 2020 the Ontario government announced that it will be moving certain regions of the province to new levels of the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework (Framework). This included moving the City of Toronto and Peel Region to the Grey Zone – Lockdown of the Framework, effective earlier today, November 23 at 12:01 a.m. These restrictions will be in effect for at least 28 days.
NFP: Emerging Legal Issues and Considerations in the Workplace
On November 25, 2020, Stephen Goodwin and Evon Gayle will be discussing emerging legal issues across Canada since the start of COVID-19 as businesses return to the workplace. This is the final session of a three-part fall series hosted by NFP on key topics in the group benefits sector. Agenda: Topics: Emerging Canadian Legal Issues…
Southwest Central Human Resources Group: COVID and Labour Laws
On November 5, 2020, Evon Gayle presented the topic of “COVID and Labour Laws” at the Southwest Central Human Resources Group Virtual Webinar. Agenda: Topics: Employment contracts & termination clauses Return to work during COVID Family status & accommodations Resignations & retirements ESA for hours worked during staff shortages
Kingston and the 1000 Islands Legal Conference 2020
On September 25, 2020, Andrew McCreary co-presented the topic of “Employment Litigation Arising from COVID-19” at the Kingston and the 1000 Islands Legal Conference 2020. The agenda for the conference can be found here.