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COVID-19 Updates | Daily Workplace Round Up for June 23, 2020

COVID-19 Resources for Small Business
Sarah Visca | Jun 23, 2020

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Below are the key announcements from the Federal, Ontario and Alberta governments that touch on workplace issues for June 23, 2020.

Federal

Employers Given More Time to Recall Laid-Off Employees 

Today the government of Canada announced changes to extend time periods for temporary layoffs to allow employers more time to recall laid-off employees. The temporary changes will help protect the jobs of federally regulated private-sector employees and support employers facing economic hardship as a result of the pandemic.

Prior to these changes, employers could temporarily lay-off their employees for up to three months if no notice with a recall date was provided, or for a period of up to six months if they provided a notice with an expected recall date, before the lay-off became a termination.

The amendments, which are set out in the Canada Labour Standards Regulations, came into effect on June 22, 2020 and temporarily extend these time periods by up to six months:

  • For employees laid off prior to March 31, 2020, the time period is extended by six months or to December 30, 2020, whichever occurs first.

  • For employees laid off between March 31, 2020, and September 30, 2020, the time period is extended until December 30, 2020, unless a later recall date was provided in a written notice at the time of the layoff.

For more information, see this news release and backgrounder. 

Public Health Fact Sheets & Resources for Businesses Available Online

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) published a series of public health fact sheets and resources on its website, including an online portal for businesses to share their COVID-19 best practices and resources.

Ontario

Toronto and Peel Region Moving to Stage 2

On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, the City of Toronto and the Peel Region will move into Stage 2. Even though restrictions are being relaxed, it is recommended that individuals continue to follow public health advice including physical distancing, wearing face coverings, washing hands frequently, and avoiding face touching.

Resources for Employers:

For more information, check out this news release.

Alberta

$10 Million Invested in Targeted Serology Testing 

Serology testing is used to detect the presence of antibodies in a person’s blood, indicating that a person has been exposed to the COVID-19 virus in the past. 

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is investing $10 Million in four voluntary public health studies, which will serologically test specific groups of Albertans for COVID-19.  By investing in serology studies, Alberta will be able to better estimate the number of people who have previously contracted the virus and learn about how it's spreading over time.

For more information, check out this news release.

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Sarah Visca
Sarah Visca is the Operations Manager at ConnectsUs HR, a company that provides tools & resources to quickly set up a Human Resources department.  
You can contact her here.