Covid-19 Updates | Daily Workplace Round Up for April 7, 2020
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Below are the key announcements from the Federal, Ontario, Alberta and BC governments that touch on workplace issues for April 7, 2020.
Federal
Draft Wage-Subsidy Bill gives Businesses more Flexibility to Measure Revenue Decline
The government is proposing to make it easier for businesses to access its proposed wage-subsidy program (the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy), according to draft legislation obtained by The Globe and Mail.
The draft bill gives companies the option of using January and February as reference periods instead, under certain conditions.
The bill also includes a section that reduces the threshold for March to 15%. The proposed threshold would remain at 30% for April and May.
Learn more fron the Globe and Mail.
News! Prime Minister announces production of more medical supplies and equipment in Canada
Today the Prime announced further progress under Canada’s Plan to Mobilize Industry to fight COVID‑19 that will help provide vital, made‑in‑Canada protective gear and medical equipment to respond to the outbreak.
Nearly 5,000 Canadian companies have offered their expertise and capacity to work together on projects.
For more details, read the Prime Ministers official announcement.
Ontario
Ontario Launches Online Portal to Match Available Health Care Workers with Employers
The Ontario government is taking further action to stop the spread of COVID-19 by actively recruiting health care workers to increase the frontline capacity of hospitals, clinics, and assessment centres.
Today, the province launched a new online tool that will help match skilled frontline workers with employers. The portal will efficiently match the availability and skillsets of frontline health care workers to the employers in need of assistance to perform a variety of public health functions, such as case and contact management.
Employers and interested health care professionals can visit the portal now.
Learn more from Ontario's official news source.
Alberta
Alberta Proposes Amendments to Emergency Management Act for further Clarity
The amendments were developed in consultation with the cities of Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer, and will help the province effectively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bill 13: Emergency Management Act, 2020 includes the following amendements:
- Allows states of local emergency to last for 90 days.
- Provides clear language that it is an offence to be non-compliant with orders made under states of local or provincial emergency.
- Clarifies that the minister has the power to modify a state of emergency without terminating it.
- Clarifies that a provincially declared state of emergency can be for a pandemic in general, and not just for pandemic influenza.
Read the official Bill 13: Emergency Management Amendment Act, 2020.
Alberta Announces new Visitor Restrictions in all Continuing Care Facilities
The chief medical officer of health is ordering a provincewide ban on visitors to long-term care centres, licensed group homes and other facilities as part of the ongoing work to limit the spread of COVID-19 and protect Albertans.
Under an amended public health order, no visitors will be allowed unless a resident is dying or the visitor is essential for delivering care that cannot be delivered by staff.
Learn more from Alberta's official news source.
British Columbia
BC Secures New Spaces for Vulnerable People to Self-Isolate
To support British Columbians who need a place to self-isolate and to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Province is partnering with local governments, non-profits and the hotel industry.
So far, more than 900 spaces have been secured at 23 sites including hotels, motels and community centres throughout B.C.
Learn more from BC's official news source.
News! Why B.C. is flattening the COVID-19 curve while numbers in central Canada surge
The COVID-19 outbreak is currently more severe in Canada's two largest provinces of Ontario and Quebec than it is in BC.
That's not opinion; it's fact. So, what's the explanation?
Find out more from this news release.
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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.
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