A recent Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario decision provides a roadmap for how employers should determine whether they are required to accommodate employees and customers who seek exemptions from the City of Toronto’s mask-wearing requirement.
With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rising in Ontario at a concerning pace due to the rapid transmission of new variants, on April 1, 2021, the province filed Ontario Regulation 240/21, imposing an “emergency brake” across the province.
In a News Release dated March 17, 2021, Ontario announced it was removing regulatory restrictions to make it easier for organizations to conduct on-site COVID-19 testing in the workplace.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford was recently asked if the Government of Ontario would consider passing legislation that would allow employees to take three hours’ paid time off to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
In a recent decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the court considered factors unique to the COVID-19 pandemic in calculating the common law reasonable notice to which the employee was entitled.
Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development recently provided new and updated guidance for businesses that are required to have a written safety plan, including all businesses operating during a lockdown or shutdown.
During a January 28, 2021 news conference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced stricter rules for travellers entering Canada from international destinations.
On January 14, 2021, Ontario announced the start of a workplace health and safety inspection blitz of big-box stores in certain cities. A week later, it expanded this program to additional business sectors.
