At the end of June, 2020, BC extended the maximum period for COVID-19-related temporary layoffs to 24 weeks in any 28 consecutive week period, ending before August 30, 2020 (see our summary here). Some employers may not be in a position to recall employees during this period. If a temporary layoff is going to surpass… Continue Reading…

On June 25, 2020, B.C. announced that it had extended​ the duration of temporary layoffs connected to the COVID-19 emergency under the Employment Standard Act to a maximum of 24 weeks, ending on or before August 30, 2020, in any period of 28 consecutive weeks. On May 4, 2020, the B.C. government had previously announced an extension… Continue Reading…

On June 18, 2020, the Government of Alberta introduced Bill 24, the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Statutes Amendment Act, 2020 (“Bill 24”). The purpose of Bill 24 was to validate an earlier regulation, the Employment Standards (COVID-19 Leave) Regulation and to extend the temporary layoff timeframe pursuant to the Employment Standards Code (the “Code”) for up… Continue Reading…

British Columbia has mandated COVID-19 Safety Plans for businesses and employers in the province as part of its COVID-19 Restart Plan. Although Safety Plans do not need to be submitted to WorkSafeBC as a condition of operating, a WorkSafeBC officer or health officer may request a copy to ensure businesses are taking adequate steps to… Continue Reading…

Today, BC announced it is extending the Employment Standards Act  temporary layoff period to a maximum of 16 weeks in any period of 20 consecutive weeks for layoffs connected to the COVID-19 emergency. The increased period is intended to be temporary and match the duration of the Federal Government’s emergency aid under the Canada Emergency… Continue Reading…

On April 6, 2020, the Alberta government announced additional changes to Alberta’s Employment Standards Code (the “Code”) in an effort to ease hardships caused by COVID-19. The changes include the following: Temporary leave period extended The Alberta government has increased the maximum temporary layoff period from 60 days to 120 days. Previously, employers could only… Continue Reading…

The Office of the Premier of Ontario announced the launch of a toll-free phone line to respond to ‎inquiries from businesses concerning the Province of Ontario’s emergency order requiring all “non-‎essential” / “at-risk” workplaces to close, effective March 24, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. (see our recent post here). Businesses can call the “Stop the Spread… Continue Reading…