The Week in Review: Key COVID-19 Developments for Ontario Employers
This bulletin is part of a weekly series that provides a recap of important COVID-19 developments and their impact on employers as they navigate these challenging times. This recap covers the week of March 23, 2020 and is current as of March 30, 2020.
The Government Has Announced a Huge Increase in the Federal Wage Subsidy for Small- & Medium-sized Businesses, Among Other Financial Supports for Employers
On March 27, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the federal government is increasing the amount of wage subsidies available to businesses. In addition to the 10% wage subsidy announced last week for small businesses (the “Wage Subsidy”), the government has announced a separate 75% wage subsidy in an effort to help prevent layoffs […]
The Ontario Government has Announced that WSIB Premiums can be Deferred for 6 Months for All Businesses due to COVID-19
On March 26, 2020, as part of measures to provide financial relief to employers coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario government announced premium reporting and payment to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
A New Federal Benefit for Workers Affected by COVID-19 has been Announced: The Canada Emergency Response Benefit
On March 25, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a new federal benefit for workers who have lost their income as a result of COVID-19,
Ontario has Ordered Non-essential Businesses to Close for Two Weeks Starting March 25 Due to COVID-19
On March 23, 2020, Premier Doug Ford announced that Ontario is ordering all non-essential businesses to shut down for at least fourteen (14) days,
COVID-19 and the Workplace: ESA Amendments, Federal Benefits and Layoff Principles
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on how Canadian employers conduct business. Canada’s federal and provincial governments have been continuously announcing measures to lessen the impact of the pandemic on employers and employees.
Be Prepared, Not Alarmed: What Employers Should Know About COVID-19
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) declared the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (“Coronavirus” or “COVID-19”) outbreak, first reported from Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019, to be a “pandemic”.
The Williams HR team: At your side in a time of crisis
The events of the past few days, marked by a dramatic escalation of the coronavirus pandemic, have put tremendous strain on virtually every organization across Canada.
Human Rights Refresher for Employers: Nuances of Discrimination-Related Risks in Recruitment
[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”3445″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Most employers know that it is illegal to discriminate against employees based on protected grounds such as age, race, or sex under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”), and that asking job applicants questions about protected grounds during recruitment can expose them to liability, but many employers are not aware […]
Foodora Couriers are Dependent Contractors That are Entitled to Unionize: A Landmark Decision for the Canadian Gig Economy
Last week the Ontario Labour Relations Board (“OLRB” or the “Board”) rendered a historic decision for the Canadian gig economy by finding that Foodora’s food-delivery couriers in Toronto and Mississauga are dependent contractors that are entitled to unionize under the Ontario Labour Relations Act, 1995 (“LRA”). The gig economy generally involves temporary and flexible work […]