Job Support Scheme – Expansion for Closed Business Premises

In our previous blog post here we told you about the Job Support Scheme (JSS), which is due to come into force on 1 November, and will provide support to employers where employees work reduced working hours. On 9 October, the Government announced an extension of the JSS to provide temporary support to businesses whose premises are legally required to close as a direct result of Coronavirus restrictions set out by one or more of the four governments of the UK. The purpose of this expansion is to help businesses through that temporary closure, by supporting the wage costs of … Continue Reading

US: Amendments to New York City sick leave policies required as soon as possible

By David Gallai (US) and Rachel Kurth (US) on October 8, 2020 Posted in North America, United States

New York City employers are required to amend their existing sick leave policies as soon as possible due to amendments to the New York City Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (the “ESSTA”) that went into effect on September 30, 2020. These recent amendments attempt to align the ESSTA more closely with the recently-enacted New York State sick leave law, which also went into effect on September 30, 2020 (though employees do not have the right to use accrued sick leave under the New York State sick leave law until January 1, 2021). To learn more about the recent changes … Continue Reading

UK Migrants stranded abroad due to COVID-19. – will their ability to settle in the UK or apply for further leave to remain be impacted?

By Aida Geragusian on October 6, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, General, UK

The effects of the global pandemic are far reaching; few have been unaffected by measures and restrictions introduced in response to the spread of COVID-19. As borders have closed and visa processing services have been suspended, those living and working outside their home jurisdictions have, and continue to face, uncertain times.

Some migrants made the decision to return to their home jurisdictions as the reality of long term border restrictions unravelled, worried they would be unable to see family for unknown periods of time. As this coincided with widespread working from home, many employers permitted their employees to continue to … Continue Reading

Remote control: Can eSigning improve your pension scheme governance?

By Shane O’Reilly on October 1, 2020 Posted in UK

Having first embraced eSignatures to solve the problem of signing documents during lockdown, I can now see a more general application. Using eSignatures can massively speed up the process of having an idea, approving it and crucially, getting the relevant decision makers the documents to implement. My observations below.

The challenges of signing pension deeds

We are all used to executing legal documents physically. Paper engrossments are printed and bound, everyone sits around a table and the authorised persons sign on the dotted line. The lawyers then take the signed documents and create certified copies for everyone. This is tried … Continue Reading

Entre l’obligation d’accommodement et milieu de travail sécuritaire : un équilibre difficile à atteindre pour les employeurs à l’ère du cannabis médical

By Stéphane Erickson and Antoine Gagnon on September 30, 2020 Posted in Canada, Québec

Le 17 octobre prochain marquera le deuxième anniversaire de la légalisation du cannabis récréatif au Canada. Bien que cette réalité fasse maintenant partie de notre quotidien, différentes questions liées à la consommation de cette substance demeurent, notamment en matière d’emploi.

L’une d’entre elles a récemment été abordée par la Cour d’appel de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador[1] et peut se résumer ainsi : que doit faire un employeur lorsqu’un salarié désirant occuper un poste pouvant mettre en jeu sa sécurité et celle de ses collègues consomme du cannabis à des fins médicales sur une base quotidienne?

La décision

Dans cette affaire où le … Continue Reading

Will intra country commuting continue post Brexit? UK Government issues new guidance on frontier workers.

By Aida Geragusian on September 29, 2020 Posted in General, UK

A frontier worker is an EU, EEA or Swiss national, who is economically active in the UK (through employment or self-employment) but resides outside the UK. Under the EEA right of freedom of movement, such nationals are currently free to travel and work in all EEA countries.

However as freedom of movement comes to an end, the UK Government is introducing a Frontier Worker Permit, due to be launched later this year. Those individuals who hold ‘frontier worker status’ by 31 December 2020 will be able to maintain this status, providing they apply for a Frontier Worker Permit by 1 … Continue Reading

Discrimination dans un processus d’embauche ou exigence professionnelle justifiée : la Cour d’appel rappelle les principes applicables

By Bourget-Rousseau Antoine on September 28, 2020 Posted in Canada, Québec

Au Québec, la Charte des droits et libertés de la personne[1] (la Charte) interdit notamment aux employeurs, dans le cadre de leurs processus d’embauche, d’exercer de la discrimination en se fondant sur le handicap des candidats.

Cette interdiction de discriminer dans l’embauche comporte toutefois une exception importante : l’exigence professionnelle justifiée. L’article 20 de la Charte stipule en effet qu’une distinction, exclusion ou préférence fondée sur les aptitudes ou qualités requises par un emploi est réputée non discriminatoire[2].

À ce titre, il est bien établi en jurisprudence qu’une telle exigence professionnelle, pour être réputée non discriminatoire, … Continue Reading

Chancellor announces new Job Support Scheme

By Amanda Sanders (UK) on September 24, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, UK

The UK Chancellor has outlined additional government support to help businesses and workers impacted by COVID-19.

There had been calls from businesses for the chancellor to help protect jobs once the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) ends on 31 October 2020. As a result the chancellor has announced the new Job Support Scheme which will be introduced from 1 November to protect viable jobs in businesses facing lower demand over the winter months due to COVID-19. The scheme protects employees who are in work and will contribute towards the wages of employees who are working fewer than normal hours due … Continue Reading

Legacy Employers: Who are they? Can they still access the temporary JobKeeper enabling directions under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)?

By David Cross and Norah Chafardet on September 23, 2020 Posted in Australia, Coronavirus

When extending Part 6-4C of the Fair Work Act (Cth) (FW Act), the government recognised there would be employers who had previously qualified for the JobKeeper scheme, but who would no longer qualify to participate in the scheme following its extension past the end of September 2020.… Continue Reading

Détenir un motif sérieux de congédiement ne cautionne pas tout comportement – Rappel de savoir-vivre pour les employeurs québécois

By Xavier Hamel on September 23, 2020 Posted in Canada, Québec

Le 10 août dernier, la Cour d’appel dans l’affaire Carignan c. Maison Carignan Inc.^[1] rendait une décision dans laquelle elle conclut à un abus de droit de l’employeur dans l’exercice de son droit de congédier l’un de ses employés.

Quels sont les faits de cette affaire?

D’abord suspendu avec solde pour les fins d’une enquête, le cofondateur de l’entreprise de l’employeur, occupant alors le poste de directeur général au sein de celle-ci, et ce, depuis 25 ans, s’était vu signifier par huissier une lettre lui annonçant son congédiement. Après avoir vu son recours pour congédiement sans motif sérieux … Continue Reading