Post on 05-Oct-2020
AnEmployer’sGuidetoManagingCOVID-19intheWorkplace
Preparedfor:GreaterLangleyChamberofCommercePreparedby:ChristopherDrinovz
LawyerwithKSWEmployment&LabourGroupExecutiveMember,EmploymentLawSectionofthe
CanadianBarAssociation
Date:March16,2020
UpdatesonTravel
• OnMarch12,2020,BCPublicHealthAuthoritiesannouncedthatanyonewhochoosestotraveloutsideCanadamustself-isolatefromworkandschoolfor14daysuponreturntoBC.
• OnMarch14,2020thePublicAgencyofCanadalistedallcountriesoutsideofCanadaasLevel3Riskandallpersonsreturningfromanycountryarenowaskedtoself-isolatefor14daysaftertheirreturntoCanada.
• Therefore,itisreasonableandexpectedthatemployersaskallemployeesreturningfromoutsideofCanadatostayawayfromtheworkplacefor14days(eveniftheydon’tseemill).
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RestrictingEmployeeTravel
• Youcanandshouldplacerestrictionsonbusiness-relatedtraveloutsideofCanada.
• Youmaynotbeabletobanleisure/personaltravel,butyoucanrequireemployeeswhoaretravellingoutsideCanadatodisclosetheirtravelandself-isolatefor14daysupontheirreturn.
• YoushouldsharethenewtravelhealthadvisoriesregardinganytraveloutsideCanadaandclearlycommunicaterestrictionsordisclosurerequirementstoallemployees.
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EmployeeCompensation&SickLeave• EntitlementtopayforemployeesaffectedbyCOVID-19willdependon
contractsofemployment,personnelpoliciesand/oryourcollectiveagreement.
• Iftheemployeeiseligibleforsickleave,theyareentitledtopayifsickwithCOVID-19.Absentsickleave,anemployerisnotrequiredtopayanemployeewhodoesnotworkduetoCOVID-19.However,ifnotpaid,theremaybeariskthataworkerwillfeelconstructivelydismissedifthereductioninannualizedearningsissignificant.
• Considerallowingemployeestoworkfromhome.Whenthisisnotpossible,inviteemployeestousevacationdays,bankedtimeoroffertoletthemmakeupthetimeatalaterdate.
• Consideramendingyourpoliciestoreflecttherealitiesofthepandemicandensuretheyarenotpunitive.Forexample:- relaxingleavepoliciestoallowemployeestoavailthemselvesofvacation
andsickdays.- reconsiderrequiringamedicalnotewhenanemployeehasflu-like
symptoms(asrequestedbyBCHealthOfficialsonMarch12,2020).4
EmployeeBenefits
• Encourageaffectedemployeestoconsultwiththeirdoctorandinsurertoconsiderifshort-termdisabilityleavemaybeanoption.
• Contactyourbenefitsprovidertodetermineanycircumstancesunderwhichanemployeewouldbeillegibleforcoverageunder(e.g.traveloutsideofCanadaagainstadvisory)andadviseyouremployeesofthisinformation.
• Encourageemployeestoinformthemselvesofwhatfinancialreliefisavailablefromthefederalgovernment(seenextslide).
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EmploymentInsuranceBenefits• Employeeswhoarenoteligibleforsickleavebenefitsor
otherformofpaidleavemayqualifyforupto15weeksofEmploymentInsurancesicknessbenefits.
• Thefederalgovernmenthasannounceditiswaivingthe1-weekwaitingperiodforbenefitstostartforworkerswhoarequarantinedduetoCOVID-19.
• Anemployeequalifiesforwaiverofthe1weekwaitingperiodif:1. Thereisanoticeororderfromapublichealthofficialorauthorityto
selfquarantine(i.e.iftheytravelledoutsideCanada;orattendedaspecificeventanddon’tfeelwell);or
2. Theyhavereceivedarecommendationtoquarantinebytheiremployer,medicaldoctor,anurseorapersoninauthority.
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EmploymentInsuranceBenefits
• Workerswhovoluntarilychoosetoself-isolateduetoCOVID-19withoutbeingillordirectedtodosobytheemployeroramedicalprofessionalmightnotbeentitledtowaiverofthe1stweekwaitingperiodforEIbenefits.
• Eveniftheemployeedoesnotqualifyforthe1weekwaiver,theymaystillqualifyforEIsicknessbenefitsasusual(nobenefitsforthe1stweek).
• Atthistime,thisreliefisonlyavailabletopeoplewhoqualifyforEIbenefits.Thismightchange.
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FamilyResponsibilityLeave• TheBCEmploymentStandardsAct(ESA)providesatypeof
unpaidleavethatcouldapplyinanpandemicsituation:FamilyResponsibilityLeave.
• Anemployeeisentitledtouptofivedaysofunpaidleaveeachyeartohelpwiththecare,healthoreducationofachildundertheageof19intheircare,oranyothermemberoftheirimmediatefamily.
• Ifanemploymentcontractprovidesforequivalentormoregenerousfamilyresponsibilityentitlements(forexample,paidleaveormorethan5“familyresponsibilitydays”),andtheemployeetakestheleaveundertheiremploymentcontract,theemployeeisconsideredtohavealsotakenfamilyresponsibilityleaveundertheESA.
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DutytoProvideaSafeWorkplace• EmployersinBCarerequiredunderoccupationalhealthandsafetylawsto
protecttheiremployeesandotherworkersfromwork-relatedhazards,includinganyinfectiousdiseaseposingariskattheirworkplace.
• WorkSafeBC’s“ControllingExposure:ProtectingWorkersFromInfectiousDiseases”liststhefollowingobligationsforemployers:– identifyinginfectiousdiseasesintheworkplace– developingandimplementinganexposurecontrolplan– educating,trainingandsupervisingworkersonsafeworkprocedures,includinghand-
washing– directingworkerstoseekmedicalattention,asrequired.
• Furthertothisduty,anemployershoulddirectaworkerfromtheworkplace,andanyotherworkerwhocameintoclosecontactwiththeworker,tonotattendwork,if:– theyareilland/orexhibitanycoldorflu-likesymptoms– theyhaveCOVID-19– theyreturnedfromanywhereoutsideofCanada
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WorkRefusals• AnemployeehastherighttorefuseunsafeworkunderBC’s
occupationalhealthandsafetylawsiftheyhavereasonablecausetobelievethatperformingtheirworkwouldcreateunduehazardtothehealthandsafetyofthemselvesoranotherperson.
• TheOHSRegulationsoutlinespecificproceduresthatmustbefollowed–theemployermustinvestigatetheconcerns,andtakeanyreasonablemeasurestoreduceoreliminatetheworkplacehazard.
• InthecaseofrefusalduetoCOVID-19,werecommenderringonthesideofcautionandrespectingtheworkrefusaluntilconductinganinvestigation.
• Anemployerisnotpermittedtoretaliateagainstanemployeewhoexercisestheirrighttorefuseunsafework.ThiscouldleavethemliableforaDiscriminatoryActionComplaintundertheWorkersCompensationAct.
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WorkSafeBCCompensation&COVID-19• AworkerisnotentitledtocompensationfromWorkSafeBCsimply
becausetheycontractedCOVID-19whileatwork.
• AworkermayqualifyforWCBbenefitsduetoCOVID-19if:– thenatureoftheworker’soccupationcreatesariskthattheywould
contractacontagiousdiseasetowhichthepublicatlargeisnotnormallyexposed;or
– thenatureoftheworker’semploymentcreatesfortheworkerasignificantlygreaterriskofcontractingaviralinfection(COVID19)thantheordinaryexposureriskofthepublicatlarge.
• AworkermayalsoqualifyiftheycontractedtheviruswhiletravelingtoanothercountryaffectedbyCOVID-19forworkpurposes.
• Ifyoubelieveyouremployeesmayfallintooneofthesecategories,youshouldreportanycasestoWorkSafeBC.Examplesinclude:carehomeworkers,healthcareworkers,firstresponders,andothers.
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HumanRightsIssues• Negativetreatment,includingtermination,ofemployeeswhohave
orareperceivedtohaveCOVID-19isdiscriminatoryandprohibitedundertheBCHumanRightsCode.
• ItisnotdiscriminatorytolayoffemployeeswhenthereisnoworkavailableduetoCOVID-19.However,thismayamounttowrongfuldismissaloftheemployee(discussedinnextslides).
• EmployershaveadutytoaccommodateemployeesinrelationtoCOVID-19uptothepointofunduehardshipbasedoncostsorhealth&safety.Thismayincludeaccommodatingemployeeswhomustcareforanotherfamilymemberwhoisillorinisolation,orachildwhoseschoolisclosed.
• AnemployershouldnotsendanemployeehomeoraskthemnottoworkbecauseofconcernsoverCOVID-19unlesstheconcernsarereasonableandconsistentwiththemostrecentadvicefrommedicalandPublicHealthofficials.
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WorkplaceHealthTesting&Privacy
• Compulsoryhealthtestingofallemployees,suchasmandatorytemperaturechecks,maynotbepermittedbyhumanrightsandprivacylegislation.However,astheprevalenceofCOVID-19continuestoescalate,itmaybecomereasonableforemployerstotakemoreaggressivehealthtestingmeasuresintheworkplacetomeettheirhealthandsafetyobligations.
• EmployersshouldcontinuetoreviewrecommendationsfromthePublicHealthAgencyofCanadaandprovincialhealthauthoritiesandconsultwithanexperiencedemploymentorlabourlawyerbeforeimplementinganyproceduresthatgobeyondtheirrecommendations.
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WorkplaceHealthTesting&Privacy
• InformationshouldonlybecollectedtothelimitedextentnecessarytoachieveCOVID-19preventativeorprecautionarymeasures.Accesstothisinformationshouldbelimitedtomanagementand/orhumanresources.
• Foranycollectionofpersonalinformation,includingmedicaltestingdataandabsenteeismrecords,employersmustfollowapplicableprivacylegislationregardingtheuse,disclosureandsecurityoftheinformation.Innocaseshouldanypersonalinformationbedisclosed,exceptasrequiredbylaworwiththeemployee’sexpressconsent.
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Lay-offsandTermination• Ifyoulayoffemployeesduetoshortageofworkcausedby
COVID-19(eventemporarily)beawarethatinmostcasesthiswillbeconsideredawrongfuldismissalentitlingemployeestoterminationpayundertheESAand/orseverancepayundertheemploymentcontract.
• Exceptionsincludewherethecontractexpresslypermitstemporarylay-offsorincertainseasonalindustrieswherelay-offsareexpected.
• Inallcases,atemporarylayoffwillbecomeaterminationundertheESAiftheabsenceismorethan13weeksina20weekperiod.
• Inuniquecircumstances,theemployermaydefendawrongfuldismissalclaimbyarguingthatCOVID-19frustratedtheemploymentcontract.Youshouldconsultalawyerifyoubelievethismightapplytoyou.
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OperatingWithSickorAbsentEmployees
• YouarepermittedtohiretemporaryemployeestofillinforpersonsabsentduetoCOVID-19.Thetemporaryworkersshouldsignacontractspecifyingthelimitedperiodofemployment.
• Youmayalsorequirehealthyemployeestoworkadditionalhours,solongasyoucomplywiththeovertimerequirementsoftheESAanddonotrequireemployeestoworkexcessivehours.
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ResourcesforEmployers• ChecklistofkeyconsiderationsforbusinessespreparedbytheProvinceofBC
– https://smallbusinessbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/small-business-resource.pdf• Guides:
– CPHRBC&Yukon:https://cphrbc.ca/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-canadian-employers/
– CanadianHRReporter:https://www.hrreporter.com/employment-law/news/7-key-questions-for-employers-dealing-with-covid-19/327403
– CanadianLabourandEmploymentLaw:https://www.labourandemploymentlaw.com/2020/03/covid-19-checklist-for-canadian-employers/
• WHO–GettingyourworkplacereadyforCOVID-19:– https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/getting-workplace-ready-for-covid-19.pdf?
sfvrsn=359a81e7_6
• Fornationalandlocalupdates,youcouldencouragestafftovisitthelink:PublicHealthAgencyofCanada– https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html
• BCspecificresources:– BCCentreForDiseaseControl:http://www.bccdc.ca– VancouverCoastalHealth:http://www.vch.ca
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Disclaimer:TheinformationcontainedinthisGuideisnotintendedtobelegaladvice,maynotbeuptodateanddoesnotcreatealawyer-clientrelationshipbetweenyouandKaneShannonWeilerLLP.YoushouldconsultwithoneofourlawyersbeforeactingorfailingtoactonanyinformationcontainedinthisGuide.