This is the fifth bulletin in 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 April 20, 2020 and is current as of April 27, 2020.
Penalties for Violating Ontario’s Emergency Orders and New COVID-19 By-laws in the Greater Toronto Area
Most Ontario employers know that the province has issued a number of emergency orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the closure of non-essential workplaces and prohibiting public events and social gatherings of five people or more (the “Emergency Orders”). It is also important for employers to understand the potential penalties that they may […]
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 […]
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”.