Category: HR Resources
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COVID-19 Tip #17: Ontario Extends Infectious Disease Emergency Leave
Ontario extended the Infectious Disease Emergency Leave until January 2, 2021. This has implications for non-unionized employees (and their employers) whose hours of work or wages have been temporarily reduced or eliminated due to COVID-19.
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Increases in Minimum Wage Rate
On October 1, 2020 there will be increases to the minimum wage rate in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador. Increases to the minimum wage rate have already taken place in British Columbia (increased on June 1, 2020), New Brunswick (increased on April 1, 2020), Nova Scotia (increased on April 1, 2020) and Quebec (increased on May 1, 2020).
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COVID-19 Tip #16: Ontario Moves to Stage 3
Today, all of Ontario finally moves to Stage 3. This means that most businesses can re-open, provided that they follow requirements contained in a variety of regulations and government policies.
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COVID-19 Tip #15: Discrimination under Human Rights Legislation
COVID-19 has resulted in many changes to employment standards and health and safety legislation (see our other COVID-19 posts), but it also has implications for human rights. The Human Rights Commissions of several provinces have issued policy statements or provided guidance indicating that COVID-19 may engage certain grounds of discrimination. Note that this post only covers those provinces that have provided explicit guidance regarding discrimination and COVID-19. This does not mean that the other provinces do not consider COVID-19 to fall within the prohibited grounds, only that they have not provided specific guidance on this point. More »
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Alberta to Revamp Employment Standards
Alberta Bill 32, Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act, 2020, includes extensive amendments to the Employment Standards Code. Bill 32 is still making its way through the Alberta legislature. In the meantime, if you have employees in Alberta, here is a quick review of what you need to know.
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COVID-19 Tip #14: Temporary Lay-offs
Typically, under employment standards legislation, a temporary layoff longer than a specified period is considered a permanent layoff (i.e., requiring an employer to provide employees with written working notice of termination and/or to pay termination and severance pay). This post provides a quick review of the jurisdictions that have extended or created exemptions from the temporary layoff periods in response to COVID-19.
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COVID-19 Tip #13: Ontario Moves to Stage 2
Further to today’s announcement that (almost) all of Ontario is moving to Stage 2 (Windsor is the last region left at Stage 1), it is helpful to review Ontario’s guide on how to develop a COVID-19 workplace safety plan.
The guide, which includes a template plan, sets out the steps for Ontario employers preparing to re-open the workplace.
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COVID-19 Tip #12: Government Guidance for Re-opening Workplaces (Part II)
Further to an earlier post regarding Alberta and Quebec, here is the latest in a series of posts regarding government guidance setting out what businesses need to do to keep employees and customers safe. This post includes information on the regulatory guidance from British Columbia.
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COVID-19 Tip #11: Government Guidance for Re-opening Workplaces (Part I)
As provinces across the country begin to permit businesses to re-open, many governments are publishing workplace guidance – highlighting what businesses need to do to keep employees and customers safe. Below is information on guidance from Alberta & Quebec. More posts to follow.
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COVID-19 Tip #10: Ontario Businesses May Request Relief from Government Requirements
The Ontario government announced that businesses may request a temporary change to a regulation or government policy, process or fee where it would facilitate their ability to respond to COVID-19. More »