COVID-19 Information Hub - Emond Harnden

The articles listed below are intended to provide readers with general information only. They should not be regarded or relied upon as legal advice or opinion. Accessing, reading, relying on or otherwise using the articles listed below does not, under any circumstances, create a lawyer-client relationship between you and Emond Harnden. A lawyer-client relationship will only form if and when Emond Harnden specifically and expressly agrees to act for you on a particular matter and executes a retainer agreement to that effect. For more information, please consult our Terms of Use.

COVID-19 has changed the labour and employment law landscape indefinitely.

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The situation has developed rapidly and changes from day to day.

In light of these unprecedented circumstances and the fluidity of this situation, Emond Harnden remains committed to providing timely support and guidance to our clients as they navigate their obligations and rights as employers.

Services

We are available to provide advice on any and all COVID-19 related issues, including:

Return to Work & School

Latest post: New Mandatory Screening for Employees and Essential Visitors in Ontario Workplaces

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Temporary Lay-offs

Latest post: Provincial Government Extends the COVID-19 Period under the Employment Standards Act’s Infectious Disease Emergency Leave Regulation to July 3, 2021 and Provides Greater Flexibility to Employers and Unions in the Hospitality, Tourism and Convention and Trade Show Industries

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Pandemic Planning

Latest post: Details of Emergency Declaration and Impact on Ontario Employers Now Available

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EI Benefits

Latest post: COVID-19 Emergency Response Act Receives Royal Assent

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Sick Leave and Leaves of Absence

Latest post: Government Extends COVID-19 Leave Available Under the Canada Labour Code by up to 8 Weeks

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Working from Home

Latest post: Details of Emergency Declaration and Impact on Ontario Employers Now Available

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Health and Safety Issues

Latest post: Details of Emergency Declaration and Impact on Ontario Employers Now Available

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Privacy Considerations

Latest post: Privacy Considerations for School Boards in the Era of Online Learning

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Government Support Measures

Latest post: New Pandemic-Related Requirements for Ottawa Employers

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Webinars

Fall Update on COVID-19 and the Workplace: J.D. Sharp & Joël Rocque

March 27, 2020

The Human Rights Side of the Pandemic: Raquel Chisholm & Carolyn Dunlop

March 27, 2020

Ontario’s New Regulation Addressing the Temporary Layoff and Deemed Termination Dilemma: Kecia Podetz & J.D. Sharp

March 27, 2020

Return to Work Considerations: Fabienne Lajoie & Kyle Shimon

March 27, 2020

Navigating leaves during the pandemic: Mélissa Lacroix & Larissa Volinets Schieven

March 27, 2020

Effectively managing a remote workforce: Raquel Chisholm & Carolyn Dunlop

March 27, 2020

My employee refuses to work until the pandemic is over – what can I do? J.D. Sharp & Neil Dzuba

March 27, 2020

CERB and wage subsidy: where are we at? – Kecia Podetz & Erica Bennett

March 27, 2020

Emond Harnden COVID-19 Webinar: Porter Heffernan & Lauren Jamieson

March 27, 2020

Webinaire COVID-19 (FR): Céline Delorme et Joël Rocque

March 27, 2020

View all webinars

Resources

COVID-19 safety plan guide update

Resources to prevent COVID-19 in the workplace

New guidance on meal and break periods

New guidance on self-isolation and return to work

COVID-19 Guide for Federal Sector Employers

Updated construction sector guidance

COVID-19 response framework: keeping Ontario safe and open

Ontario government resource document: Wearing Masks in the Workplace

COVID-19 Guide for Employers in the Hotel and Hospitality Industry

Actions to support small and medium-sized employers in Ontario during COVID-19

COVID-19 Guide for Aviation-Industry Employers

Actions to support federally-regulated employers during COVID-19

Stay up to date with the latest labour and employment law updates!

Read our COVID-19 latest articles

Useful Links

World Health Organization

Public Health Agency of Canada

Government of Canada

British Columbia

Newfoundland and Labrador

Prince Edward Island

Northwest Territories

Latest Articles

Details of Emergency Declaration and Impact on Ontario Employers Now Available

As we advised readers in our earlier Focus Alert, the Province of Ontario has declared a second provincial emergency in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Second Provincial Emergency Declared

On January 12, 2021, the Province of Ontario declared a second provincial emergency in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA).

New Pandemic-Related Requirements for Ottawa Employers

On December 18, 2020, Vera Etches, Medical Officer of Health for the City of Ottawa (the “City”), issued a Letter of Instruction (the “Letter”) to all employers in the City permitted to be open under the Reopening Ontario Act and Related Regulations.

Rising COVID-19 Case Numbers Prompt Province-wide Shutdown

On December 21, 2020, the Ontario government confirmed a widely expected mandatory shutdown as the province recorded more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases for the sixth consecutive day on Sunday.

Provincial Government Extends the COVID-19 Period under the Employment Standards Act’s Infectious Disease Emergency Leave Regulation to July 3, 2021 and Provides Greater Flexibility to Employers and Unions in the Hospitality, Tourism and Convention and Trade Show Industries

As initially detailed in one of our early COVID-19 Focus Alerts, O.

Emond Harnden Updates

To our valued clients

We are in the midst of a challenging and unprecedented situation. The COVID-19 pandemic has touched all of us, including our businesses, families, and communities, and we are aware of the fears and uncertainties we are all facing. We wanted to take a brief opportunity to connect with all of you, to share the measures we have taken and the measures we will continue to take, to help ensure the health and safety of our communities, and the continuity and success of our clients.

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As have many employers, we have moved most of our operations out of the office, to do our part in maintaining social distancing. Most of our lawyers and staff are now working remotely, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. We have suspended in-person meetings, but remain available to connect with clients by phone, email or video conferencing. We have ensured that our lawyers and staff are equipped to maintain the continuity of our operations, and we remain at full capacity to assist our clients with any and all employment-related issues arising out of COVID-19. We welcome you to contact any one of our lawyers, and we assure you that one of our lawyers will be able to assist you in a timely fashion.

In these extraordinary times, we want to assure our clients that we are here for you. We have been working collaboratively to ensure that we are up-to-date with any developments, and that we are providing timely, accurate advice. We are available to provide advice on any and all COVID-19 related issues, including:

Pandemic planning and the development of guidelines and policies relating to COVID-19;
Temporary lay-offs;
Working from home;
Employment Insurance benefits issues, including Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Plans and Work-Sharing programs;
Sick leave and other leaves of absence;
Health and safety issues, including work refusals; and
Privacy considerations relating to employee medical information.

You will find our recent updates and publications on COVID-19 on our website and we will continue to update our resources as developments occur.

We also understand that in some respects and for some clients, it remains business as usual, and so we remain available and committed to provide timely advice and guidance on all other labour and employment-related matters that may arise in the coming weeks.

As always, we remain your trusted advisors, and we are here for you. Be well, be healthy, and be safe.

Sincerely,

EMOND HARNDEN