Labour and Employment Law Blog

This is the first in a two part series on 'Returning the Workplace to Safe Operation. Part two will be posted on Tuesday, May 19. 

Part 1: New occupational health and safety requirements to ensure your workplace is safe from the spread or introduction of COVID-19

Canadian provinces and territories are now beginning the gradual process of reopening the economy in the wake of ...

On May 4, 2020, the B.C. government passed an Order in Council to add a new provision to the BC Employment Standards Regulation (the “Regulation”) during the current provincial state of emergency. Temporary layoffs related to COVID-19 can now last up to 16 weeks in a 20 consecutive week period without triggering termination of employment.

This is the second change to ...

On April 30, 2020, WorkSafeBC announced it is moving forward with adding COVID-19 to the list of diseases for which there is a presumption of it being work-related. Employers will now have to rebut the presumption that a worker caught COVID-19 at work to have the claim denied. Addition to the list typically takes between 18-24 months, but WorkSafeBC is hoping to expedite and ...

The B.C. and federal government have announced new benefits for workers impacted by COVID-19.

B.C. Emergency Benefit for Workers

The B.C. Emergency Benefit for Workers will provide a one-time $1,000 payment to people who lost income because of COVID-19. B.C. residents who receive Employment Insurance (“EI”) or the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit ...

This blog post combines previous posts released on April 2 and 9, 2020, and contains additional details from Bill C-14, “A second Act respecting certain measures in response to COVID-19” (“Bill”), which received Royal assent on April 11, 2020.

A summary of the details released, to date, on the federal government’s proposed Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy is ...

At the time of writing, more than 1,600 people have died in Canada due to COVID-19. The total number of confirmed cases is over 35,000. Given the magnitude and the seriousness of COVID-19, it was astonishing to read about an 18 year old girl from Hamilton, Ontario, who forged a medical note from her doctor stating she had tested positive for the virus. Not only did this excuse the ...

The B.C. Employment Standards Branch (“ESB”) has recently published guidance on how business closures and staffing reductions related to the COVID-19 pandemic may exempt British Columbia employers from the obligation to provide employees with statutory termination notice or pay in lieu of notice.

The B.C. Employment Standards Act (“ESA”) sets out the minimum ...

NOTE: The blog below has become outdated. To get the most up to date information on CEWS please read this blog instead: The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy: Helping Employers Keep Employees 

On April 8, 2020 the federal government announced additional guidance on the eligibility criteria for businesses to access the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (“CEWS”). An initial ...

On April 6, 2020, the Alberta government issued a Ministerial Order to enact temporary changes to the province’s employment standards legislation, with the stated intention of providing job protection for workers and flexibility for employers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alberta has been in a state of public health emergency since March 17, 2020. On March 17, 2020 ...

NOTE: The blog below has become outdated. To get the most up to date information on CEWS please read this blog instead: The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy: Helping Employers Keep Employees 

The following is a summary of the details released, to date, on the federal government’s proposed Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (the “Wage Subsidy”). This program has not yet been ...