Events

COVID-19 has had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on Canadian workplaces. For the past two months, many employees have had to stay home to manage the effects of the pandemic on their family and personal circumstances. Leaves specifically designed to address pandemic-related needs have been introduced under both the Ontario Employment Standards Act and the federal Canada Labour Code, and existing leaves have been amended to provide more flexibility to employees.

It can be expected that employees will continue to request leaves for reasons related to health, safety, and family circumstances, even as workplaces gradually reopen and employers require employees to return to work. Employers must therefore know and understand the leaves available to their employees during the pandemic, and employees’ rights and obligations regarding such leaves.

Join Mélissa Lacroix and Larissa Volinets Schieven as they explain those leaves and answer questions regarding associated employer obligations such as:

• Does an employer have to grant leave to an employee who has safety concerns about the workplace?
• Can an employer deny a request for leave because of a labour shortage?
• Can an employer require an employee to access paid leave before granting an unpaid statutory leave?
• What type of evidence can an employer require from an employee to substantiate a leave request?
• And more…