Apr, May, Jun 2021 COVID-19 Updates

For more information, check out this news release. 

The reimbursement program will be available on WorkSafeBC’s online services portal on June 15, 2021. Through the program, eligible employers can apply to be reimbursed for up to 3 days of wages paid to workers for COVID-19 related sick leave. The reimbursement program is available for sick leave taken from May 20 until the program ends on Dec. 31, 2021.

To apply for reimbursement, employers must be:

1. Registered for WorkSafeBC insurance coverage and
2. Signed up for WorkSafeBC’s employer online services in order to access the COVID-19 Sick-Leave Reimbursement application. If you’re not already signed up, you can sign up now to ensure you receive reimbursement quickly.  

For more information, visit WorkSafeBC. 

Alberta’s guidance documents are being streamlined so they remain easy to understand and up-to-date with current public health measures. Guidance has been removed for businesses not currently permitted to open.

If you can’t find the guidance you’re looking for, please consult the general operational guidance for public health requirements applicable to all settings.

The SMERG offers financial assistance to Alberta businesses, cooperatives and non-profit organizations with fewer than 500 employees that have faced restrictions or closures due to COVID-related public health orders, and have experienced revenue losses of at least 30%. The total program budget remains at $350 million.

Apply Now for SMERG.

Temporary COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave

Effective May 20, 2021 until December 31, 2021, employees in BC whose employment is governed by the ESA are entitled to up to 3 days of COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave in the following circumstances:

• The employee is diagnosed with COVID-19 and is acting in accordance with:

  • instructions or an order of a medical health officer; or
  • advice of a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner or registered nurse.
• The employee is in quarantine or self-isolation in accordance with:
  • an order of the Provincial Health Officer;
  • an order under the Quarantine Act  (Canada); or
  • guidelines of the BC Centre for Disease Control, or the Public Health Agency of Canada.
• Their employer, due to its concern about the employee's exposure to others, has directed the employee not to work.

Here's what else you should know:

• Employees are entitled to this leave no matter how long they have been employed.
• Employees are entitled to this leave, even if their employer doesn't qualify for reimbursement. Find out more information about the government administered reimbursement program for employers.

Permanent Paid Personal Illness or Injury Leave

Beginning January 1, 2022, after 90 consecutive days of employment, employees in BC who can't work due to any illness or injury will be permanently entitled to Paid Personal Illness or Injury Leave. 

Bottom Line for  Employers

Employers are not required to begin providing Paid Personal Illness or Injury Leave to employees until January 1, 2022. Watch this space! ConnectsUs HR will provide resources for this policy when necessary. 

Currently, BC Employers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with  COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave and provide it to eligible employees commencing on May 20, 2021 until December 31, 2021. 

This COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave has been added to our BC Employee Handbook. ConnectsUs HR customers can Download the Policy Now. 

Private-sector, non-profit and charitable employers with eligible employees are able to qualify to receive the assistance. Employers who currently provide paid sick leave to their employees would not be eligible including federal, provincial and local governments. 

The eligibility period begins, May 7 and runs until September 25.

Apply Now for Manitoba Pandemic Sick Leave. 

Employers can require employees to provide reasonable verification for the necessity of the leave, however, employers cannot require a physician's note or medical certificate to avoid unnecessary burden on the medical system.

For more information, check out this COVID-19 Vaccination Leave Fact Sheet.

This COVID-19 Vaccination Leave has been added to our Manitoba Employee Handbook. ConnectsUs HR customers can Download the Policy Now.

This grant will support eligible small tourism and travel businesses that did not receive the Ontario Small Business Support Grant (OSBSG), such as travel agents, hotels, motels, resorts, and bed and breakfasts.

Businesses must have less than 100 employees and demonstrate they have experienced a minimum 20% revenue decline between 2019 and 2020 to qualify. 

For more information, check out this news release. 

Businesses are encouraged to participate in the program by registering at the COVID-19 testing for organizations online portal. It provides free rapid antigen screening kits to help screen for asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 that might otherwise be missed. 

Program eligibility was recently expanded to include any business that is allowed to be open and requires staff to work on-site.

For more information, check out this news release. 

Employers can apply through the Rapid Testing Program to implement a rapid COVID-19 testing program in their organization. 

For more information, check out this news release. 

Under the proposal, employers could require employees to provide reasonable verification for the necessity of the leave, however, employers cannot require a physician's note or medical certificate to avoid unnecessary burden on the medical system.

For more information, check out this news release. 

Eligible sick leave related to COVID-19 under the program includes testing, vaccinations and side effects, self-isolation due to COVID-19 symptoms, or care for a loved one in any of the previously mentioned circumstances.

Applications will be available on Friday, May 14, 2021. For more information, check out the Manitoba Pandemic Sick Leave. 

Working from Home

• Working from home remains mandatory unless the employer requires the employee's physical presence to operate effectively.

• Where at work for operational effectiveness, employees must mask for all indoor settings, except in work stations or where two-metre physical distancing or adequate physical barriers are in place. 

Workplace Transmission

• Any workplace, except work camps and essential and critical services, with transmission of three or more cases will be required by health officials to close for 10 days.

• Any workplace that does not comply will be subject to enforcement.

A complete list of restrictions are available for outdoor social gatherings, schools, retail, restaurants, places of worship, personal and wellness services, outdoor sports and fitness, funerals, and post-secondary institutions.

The extended support is available to businesses across the province that were ordered to temporarily close or substantially curtail operations due to public health orders.

The program is currently accepting applications for the April 1-30, 2021, eligibility period. The deadline to apply is May 30, 2021.

Visit the SSBEP webpage for more information. 

The job grant helps employers offset the costs of training new employees, or costs associated with developing the skills of existing workers to meet the requirements of their present job, or to attain a promotion.

Eligible employers can receive up to $10,000 per employee to assist with training costs delivered by a third party, and up to $100,000 of total funding per employer.

Visit the Canada-Manitoba Job Grant for more information. 

• going for a COVID-19 test

• staying home awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test

• being sick with COVID-19
• going to get vaccinated
• experiencing a side effect from a COVID-19 vaccination
• having been advised to self-isolate due to COVID-19 by an employer, medical practitioner or other authority
• taking care of a dependent who is:
  • sick with COVID-19 or has symptoms of COVID-19
  • self-isolating due to COVID-19

For more information, check out Ontario COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit.

Bill 3 is now law and ensures that no employee will lose pay if they need time away from work to get vaccinated. Both full-time and part-time employees can take up to three hours of paid leave.

Find more information on BC's Employment Standards. 

WorkSafeBC also has additional resources for employers developing a safety plan:

• Industry-specific information, which includes a template for a COVID-19 Safety Plan
• COVID-19 Safety Plan OHS Guideline, which includes information on the level of detail required and use of supporting documentation.

What this means for employers:

• Your employees are eligible for up to 3 hours of paid, job-protected leave for each vaccination appointment. They cannot be laid off or terminated for taking this leave.

• All full and part-time employees are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination leave, regardless of job status, or length of employment.

• Your employees should give you notice as soon as possible and reasonable in the circumstances when they are taking this leave.

• Employees do not need to provide a medical note, record of immunization or to disclose any underlying health conditions in order to access this leave. However, you may require your employees to provide a reasonable proof of leave entitlement, such as an appointment confirmation.

Alberta businesses affected by the latest public health orders will be eligible to apply for another payment in the second half of April. This additional payment will also be available to new businesses that began operating between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, as well as hotels, taxis and ride-sharing services.

For more information, check out this news release.

Applications for the grant are now open. Click here for application information and eligibility criteria. 

For more information, check out this news release. 

For more information, check out this news release. 

How the lockdown will impact business operations:

• All non-essential retailers will close to in-person shopping, in-person dining will be prohibited and gyms and personal care services will be closed.

• Retailers will be able to offer curbside pickup and delivery services between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

• Big box stores will be allowed to remain open only to sell essential goods.

• Shopping malls will be limited to curbside pickup via appointment and delivery.

• A select group of stores will be allowed to remain open by appointment only with a 25% capacity limit.

For more information, check out this news release. 

The rebate acts like a refund but is separate from the existing PST Refund process.

For more information, check out this news release. 

• Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery services are permitted.
• Outdoor patio dining is also allowed. Tables and dining parties must be two metres apart or separated by an impermeable barrier that will prevent droplet transmission.
• Household members only, or two close contacts of someone who lives alone.
• Contact information must be collected from one person of the dining party.

Alberta will remain in Step 1 with restaurant restrictions until further notice.

For a complete list of new and maintained restrictions, check out this news release. 

Projects will support the following activities:

• Demonstration or testing for prototypes of new technologies.
• Commercialization of new technologies, products or services.
• Improving market access or supply-chain competitiveness.
• Identifying and applying operational improvements or increasing sustainability in supply chains.

Businesses can apply for the grant between April 15 and May 31, 2021.

For more information, check out this news release. 

The province has made regulatory improvements under the Employment Standards Act to quickly bring in a job-protected leave in order for workers to take “the time needed” to travel and receive the vaccine or take a dependent family member to receive the vaccine.

For more information, check out this news release.