COVID-19 Information Hub
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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: Omicron Throws a Wrench in Ontario Government’s Reopening Plans
View all postsTemporary Lay-offs
Latest post: Ontario Government Extends the “COVID-19 Period” under the Employment Standards Act’s Infectious Disease...
View all postsPandemic Planning
Latest post: Details of Emergency Declaration and Impact on Ontario Employers Now Available
View all postsSick Leave and Leaves of Absence
Latest post: Ontario Government Creates Process for Workplace Safety and Insurance Board to Collect Overpayments...
View all postsWorking from Home
Latest post: Details of Emergency Declaration and Impact on Ontario Employers Now Available
View all postsHealth and Safety Issues
Latest post: Union refusing to pursue mandatory vaccination policy grievance did not violate duty of...
View all postsPrivacy Considerations
Latest post: Canadian Privacy Commissioners Publish Guidance on Vaccine Passports
View all postsGovernment Support Measures
Latest post: Arbitrators apply context-specific approach and find mandatory vaccination policies to be reasonable
View all postsWebinars
Resources
Screening Tools
COVID-19 Guide for Federal Sector Employers
Read GuideCOVID-19 Guide for Employers in the Hotel and Hospitality Industry
Read GuideCOVID-19 Guide for Aviation-Industry Employers
Read GuideActions to support small and medium-sized employers in Ontario during COVID-19
Read LetterActions to support federally-regulated employers during COVID-19
Read LetterUseful Links
Latest Articles
Arbitrators apply context-specific approach and find mandatory vaccination policies to be reasonable
Readers of Focus will be familiar with the recent and numerous arbitral challenges to employers’ mandatory vaccination policies.
Ministry of Health Announces Timeline for Lifting All Remaining Public Health Restrictions in Ontario
Stating that the Omicron wave is finally receding, the government of Ontario began gradually easing its most recent mandatory COVID-19 public health and workplace safety measures at the end of January as part of a shift towards what the Province describes as a more balanced, long-term approach to pandemic management.
Arbitrator Upholds Termination Imposed Following Non-Compliance with COVID-19 Vaccinate-or-Test Policy
As arbitral decisions on COVID-19 vaccination policies continue to trickle out, providing employers with much needed guidance in respect of the reasonableness of such policies in the workplace, we would like to highlight a recent decision involving Emond Harnden’s very own Porter Heffernan as counsel.
Ontario Government Announces Further Easing of COVID-19 Restrictions
As detailed in our earlier Focus Alert, on January 31, 2022, the government of Ontario began the gradual resumption of its reopening plans following the imposition of more stringent public health and workplace safety requirements in response to the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Union refusing to pursue mandatory vaccination policy grievance did not violate duty of fair representation: CIRB
Regular Focus Alert readers will be aware of recent arbitral decisions where unions have challenged employers’ mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies with varying degrees of success.
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.
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