AS AN EMPLOYER, YOU:
- Are not permitted to require a medical note from employees, but may ask for other evidence reasonable in the circumstances when employees go on the new emergency leave (ex. daycare and school closures)
- Are not required to pay an employee who is off work due to being ill with COVID-19, subject to sick leave plans
- Can require employees to advise if experiencing flu-like symptoms
- Can require employees who have travelled recently, who have come into contact with someone who has COVID-19, or who have symptoms to work from home (if possible) or if not, to remain off until the incubation period complete (currently 14 days)
- Should treat employees' COVID-19 diagnoses as confidentially as possible. Disclosure should avoid identifying information about the individual and limit information only to what is necessary to take precaution and avoid spread
TEMPORARY LAY OFFS
- Can last 13 weeks without benefits or 35 weeks with benefits
- Employers do not need to provide notice pay or severance
- Laid off employees can collect EI
- The organization must try to utilize any government benefit prior to laying off
NEW - ESA: INFECTIOUS DISEASE EMERGENCY LEAVE
A JOB PROTECTED LEAVE WHERE:
- Employee is under medical investigation, supervision or treatment
- Employee is acting in accordance with an order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act
- Employee is in isolation or quarantine in accordance with public health information or direction
- Employer directs the employee not to work due to a concern that COVID-19 could be spread in the workplace
- Employee needs to provide care to a person for a reason related to COVID-19 such as a school or day-care closure
- Employee is prevented from returning to Ontario because of travel restrictions
- Infectious disease emergency leave to care for a wider range of individuals under the Family Medical Leave
NEW - ESA: INFECTIOUS DISEASE EMERGENCY LEAVE
A JOB PROTECTED LEAVE WHERE:
CERB - CANADIAN EMERGENCY RESPONSE BENEFIT
EI REGULAR BENEFIT
- Canadians who have already applied for EI after March 18, 2020 due to COVID-19 and whose application has not yet been processed do not need to reapply under the new CERB
EI SICKNESS BENEFIT
- Enhanced temporary measures effective March 15, 2020 to provide benefits for those sick with COVID-19, or quarantining/self-isolating due to public health, law, or public health directive
EI - WORKSHARING PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
WHAT IS IT?
- Provides EI benefits to eligible employees who agree to reduce their normal working hours and share the available work while their employer recovers
ELIGIBILITY
- Employers and their employees willing to participate in the program as long as the employer can demonstrate a decrease of at least 10% in sales and/or production levels directly or indirectly related to the impact of COVID-19
MORE INFORMATION
