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.
2021 brings new questions for Canadian employers; the most challenging of all is whether, in the unprecedented circumstance of a global pandemic, they can require their employees to be vaccinated.
On January 12, 2021, the Office of the Premier of Ontario announced a second state of emergency was being declared along with a new stay-at-home order.
On January 6, 2021, Canada’s federal government issued a News Release announcing the issuance of an Interim Order formalizing COVID-19 testing requirements for all air travellers coming to Canada.
On January 4, 2021, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health issued Toronto Public Health Instructions for Workplaces in response to the continued rise of COVID-19 infections in Toronto and the need to reduce the spread.
An arbitrator has rejected a grievance filed on behalf of Ontario retirement home employees challenging the reasonableness of a policy imposing bi-weekly COVID testing on all staff.
A labour arbitrator recently dismissed a grievance pertaining to the for-cause dismissal of a unionized employee who continued to work at an airport while awaiting COVID-19 test results.
On November 19, 2020, Bill C-9, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act (Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy) (Bill C-9) received Royal Assent.
