Tag archives: coronavirus

Pandemic check: face covering requirements for federally regulated employers in Canada

By Natasha Hyppolite on August 17, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

In certain provinces, masks and face coverings have now or will soon become mandatory in certain indoor establishments accessible to the public, including in, or in parts of, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia. Recently, in Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia also announced that masks will be required as of July 31 in enclosed public places.

In the federal sphere, the Labour Program has not imposed mandatory face covering requirements in establishments operated by federally regulated employers and service providers. However, current public health guidance informs that face coverings can be an effective form of protection from the … Continue Reading

À savoir sur la pandémie : exigences en matière de couvre-visage pour les employeurs sous réglementation fédérale au Canada

By Natasha Hyppolite on August 17, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

Dans certaines provinces, le port d’un masque et d’un couvre-visage est maintenant, ou sera bientôt, obligatoires dans certains établissements intérieurs accessibles au public, notamment en Ontario (en anglais seulement), au Québec, en Alberta et en Colombie-Britannique (en anglais seulement), ou dans certaines parties de ces provinces. Récemment, au Canada atlantique, la Nouvelle-Écosse a également annoncé que le port du masque sera exigé à partir du 31 juillet dans les lieux publics fermés.

Du côté du gouvernement fédéral, le Programme du travail n’a pas imposé de mesures obligatoires en matière de couvre-visage dans les établissements exploités par des employeurs et … Continue Reading

US: Virginia becomes first state to adopt COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard

By Kevin Mayer (US) and Jackie Karama (US) on August 12, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, North America, United States

On July 27, 2020, the first state “Emergency Temporary Standard” (ETS) for COVID-19 went into effect. The ETS requires employers in the state to develop and implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures in the workplace. The ETS is in effect for six months, although this period could be shortened if the Virginia State of Emergency expires, a permanent standard is enacted or the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board repeals it.

Employers covered by the Emergency Temporary Standard

The ETS applies to all public and private employers and places of employment in Virginia, with the exception of federal employers, private … Continue Reading

A reminder to BC employers: Family care obligations to accommodate family care needs amid pandemic

By Andrew Schafer on August 5, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

Covid-19 has made working from home the new normal for many employees. This new reality has created challenges for employees who, due to the closure of schools, daycares and other social services, have had to serve as full-time caregivers in addition to carrying out their everyday work tasks. Under these circumstances, it is important for employers to understand their obligations for accommodating the family care needs of employees.

Family status accommodation during Covid-19

The issue of family status accommodation is not new. In past newsletters we have explored how various tribunals across Canada have come up with differing tests on … Continue Reading

Employeurs de l’Ontario : des décrets sur les masques obligatoires sont désormais en vigueur à Toronto et à Ottawa

By Stéphane Erickson on July 15, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

*La version actualisée du présent billet de blogue peut être consultée, en anglais, en cliquant ici.*

Alors que l’étape 2 permet aux entreprises de l’Ontario de rouvrir et d’accueillir les employés sur le lieu de travail physique, les employeurs et les fournisseurs de services doivent remplir certaines conditions qui ont été récemment annoncées. Depuis le 7 juillet 2020 à 0 h 1, cela inclut le port obligatoire d’un masque couvrant la bouche et le nez pour les membres du public et les employés dans les espaces publics intérieurs des deux plus grandes municipalités de l’Ontario, Toronto (en anglais … Continue Reading

US: California: San Francisco employees laid off due to COVID-19 may have reemployment rights under new ordinance

By Josh Henderson (US) and Phillip Di Tullio (US) on July 13, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, United States

On July 3, San Francisco’s new “Back to Work” emergency ordinance took effect, requiring employers to rehire certain employees laid off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when the employer seeks to fill the same position formerly held by the laid-off worker, or a substantially similar position. The ordinance will expire on September 2, 2020, but may continue if extended by the City of San Francisco. For more information on the requirements of this new ordinance creating special reemployment rights, see our legal update, With San Francisco’s Back to Work Ordinance now in effect, employees laid-off due to COVID-19 … Continue Reading

Say It Ain’t So, I Will Not Go: Responding to Employee Requests to Not Return to the Workplace in British Columbia

By Dallan Poulin on July 7, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

Following the unveiling of BC’s Restart Plan, and as part of the province’s transition to the “new normal”, many British Columbian employers are welcoming their employees back to the traditional pre-pandemic workplace. However, given the current climate of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers will inevitably be met with requests from employees wishing to not return to the physical workplace for fear of contracting COVID-19. Some of these requests will be justified or reasonable but others will not, and this legitimacy will not always be immediately clear for the responding employer.

In order to determine whether a request not to report … Continue Reading

Nouveauté pour les employeurs québécois : Publication de la Charte d’engagement à combattre le coronavirus en milieu de travail

By Jonathan Deschamps on July 7, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus, Québec

La Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) a récemment publié en ligne la Charte d’engagement à combattre le coronavirus en milieu de travail (Charte). Celle-ci vise essentiellement à ce que les employeurs et les travailleurs coopèrent en matière de prévention pour diminuer les risques que pose la COVID-19 sur la santé et la sécurité en milieu de travail. Elle reconnaît l’importance de chaque acteur dans cet effort de prévention et souligne la nécessité de mettre en place des mesures concertées, fondées sur la protection des travailleurs.

À … Continue Reading

US: Return to work considerations for New York employers during COVID-19 pandemic

By Nandini Rao (US) and Rachel Kurth (US) on June 12, 2020 Posted in North America, United States

Businesses with operations in New York State and, particularly, in New York City, face unique obstacles with respect to reopening their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 380,000 confirmed cases across the state, and over 200,000 confirmed cases in New York City, most New York residents have been affected by the virus in some way, and many are apprehensive about reentering the workplace. New York City’s dense population of over 8 million residents and approximately 10 million commuters — many of whom rely on public transportation — undoubtedly exacerbates these concerns. In light of these concerns, Governor Cuomo extended … Continue Reading

For your consideration: Varying BC employment agreements amid pandemic

By Piers Fibiger on June 12, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

As employers prepare for the cautious reopening of the economy and the gradual return to the physical workplace, questions on altering the terms of an existing employment agreement could certainly arise for a number of legitimate reasons.

Specifically, employers often ask under what circumstances they can make changes to existing employment agreements. Commonly, employers face two important sub-questions in that regard. First, must employers obtain employee consent before making any changes to terms of employment? Second, must employers provide consideration for such changes to make them enforceable at law?

A recent decision from the British Columbia Court of … Continue Reading

Conseils de santé et sécurité pour les chantiers de construction en Ontario : Au-delà des masques et de la distanciation sociale

By Meghan Fougere and Lauren Ditschun on June 8, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

Le 14 mai 2020, le premier ministre de l’Ontario a annoncé que certains lieux de travail pouvaient commencer à rouvrir puisque la première étape du cadre visant le déconfinement de la province avait reçu le feu vert. L’étape 1 comportait la levée des restrictions précédemment imposées aux activités et projets de construction.

Le mardi 19 mai 2020 à minuit une, la liste des lieux de travail essentiels a été modifiée afin de permettre la reprise des activités ou projets de construction et services connexes de soutien à ces activités ou projets, et tout le secteur s’est bel et bien remis … Continue Reading

Health and safety tips for Ontario’s construction job sites: masks, social distancing, and more

By Lauren Ditschun and Meghan Fougere on June 8, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

Ontario’s Premier announced on May 14, 2020 that select workplaces could start reopening as stage 1 of the Framework for Reopening the Province was given the green light. As part of the first stage, the previous restrictions on certain construction projects and activities were lifted.

On Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 12:01 am, the list of essential workplaces was amended to permit all construction activities, projects and related services that support construction projects to reopen and all of the industry has effectively been back online since then. Although some restrictions have lifted, it is certainly not business as usual and … Continue Reading

Preparing to return to the workplace: What should German employers be doing?

By Stefanie Radina on June 2, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, Europe, Germany

Public life is slowly returning to normality in Germany as stores, restaurants and cafes begin to reopen. However, a return to ”business as usual“ seems a long way off. Companies and employers need to consider different priorities and complex provisions when preparing the return to the workplace.

In general, employers have a duty to take reasonable care of the health and safety of their employees. They have to assess possible risks to employees’ safety and health and take measures based on this assessment as well as identify and take additional measures where necessary to ensure the workplace is safe.… Continue Reading

UK Pensions: DB Funding Statement 2020: NRF survey gives the Pensions Regulator a thumbs-up

By Lesley Harrold on May 29, 2020 Posted in UK

DB Funding Statement 2020: NRF survey gives the Pensions Regulator a thumbs-up

Sophy Lelliott, a trainee in our pensions team writes: the UK Pensions Regulator published its annual funding statement later than usual on 30 April 2020. The Statement is aimed at trustees and sponsoring employers of defined benefit (DB) schemes with valuation dates between September 22, 2019, and September 21, 2020. Our previous blog examining its key elements can be viewed here.

On 28 May 2020 Lesley Browning, Phil Jelley and Sabrina English from our London pensions team hosted an interactive webinar discussion focusing on the … Continue Reading

Fin des classes : Aide relative à la pandémie pour les étudiants, les jeunes et les employeurs

By Stéphane Erickson on May 20, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

Plusieurs étudiants au Canada comptent sur les emplois d’été pour gagner un revenu entre les sessions d’études secondaires ou postsecondaires. Toutefois, il pourrait s’avérer difficile pour les étudiants qui terminent leurs cours en cette année scolaire de décrocher un emploi stable pendant la saison estivale.

Programme Emplois d’été Canada

Le programme Emplois d’été Canada (EEC) offre des contributions aux employeurs comptant moins de 50 employés afin qu’ils créent des emplois d’été de qualité pour les jeunes âgés de 15 à 30 ans qui sont légalement autorisés à travailler au Canada. La pandémie de COVID-19 a eu des répercussions tant sur … Continue Reading

School’s out for summer: Pandemic assistance for students, youth and employers

By Stéphane Erickson on May 20, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

Many students in Canada rely on summer jobs to generate income between semesters of high school or post-secondary education. However, students completing their studies this academic year may find it challenging to secure steady employment during the summer months.

Canada Summer Jobs Program

The Canada Summer Jobs Program (CSJ) program provides subsidies to employers with less than 50 employees in order to create quality summer work experiences for youth aged 15 to 30 years, and who are legally entitled to work in Canada. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on both CSJ job-seekers and the employers that typically hire … Continue Reading

US: Return to work in an office environment: Employer considerations and best practices

By Barbara D'Aquila on May 19, 2020 Posted in Coronavirus, North America, United States

Many businesses quickly shifted to remote work, where possible, and abandoned operations in an office setting when COVID-19 became a pandemic or when jurisdictions required or encouraged people to stay at home. Now, as these businesses contemplate resuming operations in the general office setting, they are grappling with a myriad of issues and concerns. See our article COVID-19: Best practice considerations for resuming work in an office setting for employer considerations for resuming work in the office setting, including advice on determining when to reopen, determining modifications to be made in the workplace, employee communication and training considerations, implementing the … Continue Reading

Licenciements collectifs : considérations pratiques pour les employeurs québécois

By Andréanne Brosseau on May 19, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus, Québec

Dernièrement, dans le contexte de la COVID-19, certaines entreprises se sont vues contraintes de cesser temporairement ou de réduire substantiellement leurs activités, entraînant ainsi nombre de mises à pied. Alors que des économistes prévoient un ralentissement économique important en raison de la pandémie, les employeurs québécois peuvent légitimement se demander s’ils seront en mesure de rappeler leurs salariés au travail une fois les mesures de confinement levées, voire même être confrontés à la difficile décision de procéder à des licenciements collectifs.

Qu’est-ce qu’un licenciement collectif?

Au Québec, le licenciement collectif est la terminaison d’emploi d’au moins dix (10) salariés d’un … Continue Reading

Les droits religieux et le port des équipements de protection

By Marie-Krystel Ouellet on May 19, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus, Québec

En cette période de pandémie, certains employeurs envisageront l’adoption d’une politique concernant l’utilisation des équipements de protection individuelle, tels que la blouse, les gants, le masque ou encore la protection faciale. L’adoption d’une telle politique peut, pour certaines personnes, avoir pour effet d’opposer leurs droits religieux et leur propre santé et sécurité ou celles des autres travailleurs. Dans une telle situation, est-ce qu’un travailleur peut être exempté de l’application d’une politique obligeant le port de ce genre d’équipements?

L’affaire Singh c Montréal Gateway Terminals Partnership

La Cour d’appel s’est prononcée sur cette question à l’automne dernier dans l’arrêt Singh c. … Continue Reading

Religious rights and wearing protective equipment

By Marie-Krystel Ouellet on May 19, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus, Québec

During this pandemic, certain employers will consider adopting a policy on using personal protective equipment, such as gowns, gloves, masks or even facial protection. For certain people, adopting such a policy may have the effect of encroaching on their religious rights and protecting their own health and safety or that of other workers. In such a situation, can a worker be exempted from a policy requiring that this type of gear be worn?

Singh c Montréal Gateway Terminals Partnership

The Quebec Court of Appeal rendered its ruling on this matter last fall in Singh c. Montréal Gateway Terminals Partnership^[1]… Continue Reading

Ontario: Paying employees for the Victoria Day Holiday during the pandemic

By Natasha Hyppolite on May 15, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus

Monday May 18, is Victoria Day (Journée nationale des patriotes, or National Patriot’s Day, in Quebec); a holiday which most employees are entitled to take off and receive public holiday pay. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in emergency leaves, temporary layoffs and reduced schedules. As a result, some may have lost track of upcoming long weekends and public holiday pay requirements. Below is a refresher on employee entitlement to public holiday pay in Ontario and how to calculate pay for employees who’s employment has been affected by COVID-19.

Public Holiday Pay

Generally, employees qualify for public holiday pay on … Continue Reading

Ontario : Payer ses employés pour la fête de la Reine en temps de pandémie

By Natasha Hyppolite on May 15, 2020 Posted in Canada, Coronavirus, Québec

Le lundi 18 mai est le jour de la fête de la Reine (Journée nationale des patriotes au Québec); un jour férié pour lequel la plupart des employés ont le droit de prendre congé et de recevoir un salaire pour jour férié. La pandémie de la COVID‑19 a donné lieu à des congés pour situation d’urgence, des mises à pied temporaires et des horaires réduits. Par conséquent, certains ont peut-être perdu de vue les longues fins de semaine à venir et les exigences liées au salaire pour jour férié. Vous trouverez ci‑dessous un récapitulatif exposant le droit des employés de … Continue Reading