On June 14, 2002, Canada announced that, due to the country’s improved public health situation, certain vaccination requirements are suspended as of June 20.
Federally Regulated Travel Sector...more
6/24/2022
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
International Travel ,
Public Health ,
Traveling Employee ,
Vaccinations
Since late fall 2021, we have seen a steady flow of arbitration awards emerge in Ontario and British Columbia that consider issues relating to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies in the unionized workplace. In this...more
4/27/2022
/ Arbitration ,
Arbitration Awards ,
Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Unions ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On April 4, 2022, in Fraser Health Authority v British Columbia General Employees’ Union, 2022 CanLII 25560, Arbitrator Koml Kandola of the British Columbia Labour Relations Board dismissed the union’s grievance respecting...more
4/13/2022
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Arbitration ,
Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Litigation ,
Grievance Process ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Unions ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Ontario first released its plan to follow a cautious and phased approach to lifting COVID-19 public health and workplace safety measures on January 20, 2022. On February 14, 2022, however, Ontario announced that with key...more
2/16/2022
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Ontario ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Workplace Safety
With key public health indicators beginning to show signs of improvement and expected to continue, Ontario announced that commencing January 31, 2022, in the absence of concerning trends, it would begin to take steps to...more
1/21/2022
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Ontario ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Relief Measures ,
Seating ,
Vaccine Passports ,
Workplace Safety
On October 22, 2021, Ontario announced the release of its phased plan to gradually lift all remaining public health and workplace safety measures by March 2022, as set out in A Plan to Safely Reopen Ontario and Manage...more
On September 14, 2021, Ontario released Regulation 645/21 and a guidance document, which provide support to businesses and organizations in the implementation of their vaccination requirements, which will commence on...more
On August 13, 2021, Canada announced that, as early as the end of September, it will require COVID-19 vaccination across the federal public service. Accommodations or alternative measures (e.g., testing or screening) for the...more
8/24/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Federal Employees ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Public Employees ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On August 11, 2021, in the context of the vaccine roll-out and emerging COVID-19 variants of concern, Ontario released COVID-19 Fully Immunized and Previously Positive Individuals: Case, Contact and Outbreak Management...more
On July 30, 21, Ontario filed O. Reg. 541/21 (Regulation), which adds a new “Roadmap Exit Step” to the Rules for Areas at Step 3 of its Roadmap to Reopen (Roadmap). ...more
8/6/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Ontario ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Workplace Safety
In EllisDon Construction Ltd. v. Labourers’ International Union of North America, Local 183, 2021 CanLII 50159, an Arbitrator in Ontario decided that when the intrusiveness of an employer’s compulsory Rapid COVID-19 Antigen...more
7/14/2021
/ Arbitration ,
Canada ,
Collective Agreements ,
Construction Workers ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Screening Procedures ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On May 20, 2021, Ontario released its long-awaited Roadmap to Reopen (Roadmap), a three-step plan to safely and gradually reopen the province and loosen certain public health restrictions. ...more
On April 13, 2021, Ontario announced that in Phase 2 of its COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan it will provide vaccines to those 18 and over via mass immunization clinics, mobile teams, and pop-up clinics in highly impacted...more
In Sharma v. Toronto (City), 2020 HRTO 949, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) provides a roadmap for how employers should determine whether they are required to accommodate employees and customers who seek...more
4/8/2021
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Exemptions ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Rights Code ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Masks ,
Ontario ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Workplace Safety
On October 2, 2020, the government of Ontario filed Ontario Regulation 546/20 (Regulation) made under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020. The Regulation came into force on October 3, 2020....more
10/9/2020
/ Canada ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Rights Code ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
Masks ,
Ontario ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Workplace Safety
Many Canadian employers implemented temporary layoffs due to the devastating financial impact of the COVID-19 crisis. These employers are entitled to recall their employees back to work at any point in time prior to the...more