Coronavirus

It is March 2022. Every single covid restriction in Ontario will be lifted very soon. And with that, many employers have recalled some of their employees back to the office.  Is this legal? Can an employer make an employee go back to the office?  It largely depends on what the employment contract says. However, obviously, …

Employers who were reluctant to send their employees on international travel can breathe a sigh of relief.  Today, the Government of Canada announced that beginning February 28, 2022, the following travel changes will occur: Rapid Antigen Tests instead of PCR tests will be accepted for entry into Canada if taken within 24 hours before departure …

Today the Ontario Government announced that it was ending vaccination requirements for all businesses effective on March 1, 2022. The Ontario Government also announced today that it was moving up the date that businesses could increase capacity limits. “Given how well Ontario has done in the Omicron wave we are able to fast track our …

Various news outlets ran an article over the weekend titled, “Workplace vaccine mandates being upheld as challenges largely tossed out, experts say.”  As more and more of these headlines come out, it is important to provide Canadians clarity on what is really happening concerning workplace vaccine mandates because some of these headlines can be confusing. …

Does an employer have a right to issue a policy that says it can fire an employee with just cause for refusing the Covid-19 booster shot? In most cases, likely no. However, keep in mind, like for any other reason, an employer can unquestionably fire an employee without cause for refusing a mandated booster except for the extremely rare …

Today, September 23, 2020, the Liberal Government announced that it would be extending the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). Speaking from the annual Throne Speach, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that the CEWS would be extended until some time in summer 2021. Here is the statement excerpt from the September 23 Throne Speech about the …

Yes, generally, an employer in Ontario can force an employee to come back to work during Covid-19.  As many businesses reopen as Ontario enters stage 3, many are wondering, can an employer make an employee come back to the workplace after all this time away? If the employer has followed all the necessary safety precautions as …

The Ontario government is permitting many kinds of businesses to reopen as COVID-19 conditions improve. The full list of businesses that can open in Ontario and when they can open is located here. With news that some businesses can reopen in Ontario, many employers are wondering: This article discusses the legal framework for employers to …

Updated August 13, 2020 On May 1, 2020, in response to changing COVID-19 conditions, Premier Ford announced that certain Ontario businesses can reopen if they comply with strict public health measures (i.e. rules about social distancing and hygiene, etc.) Over time, the list of businesses that can be opened back up in Ontario will be …

Employment law mediator Barry Fisher posed 10 questions about employment law and the post-coronavirus world to the Ontario employment law bar. I will try and answer each question in this article. 1. The longer these temporary layoffs continue the more employees will seriously look at the temporary layoff = termination argument. Yes, I agree. Certainly, …