During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Canadians are performing work for their employers inside their homes. This raises the question of who has responsibility for potential hazards they may be exposed to while doing so.
The Canadian federal government announced that the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) application form will become available on Monday, April 27, 2020, and launched an online CEWS calculator to help employers apply for the CEWS.
The Government of Canada previously announced that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) would be available to support workers and businesses. On April 15, 2020, the prime minister announced that the eligibility rules will be expanded.
On April 8, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced temporary changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program, to help employers hire summer staff and provide young Canadians access to the jobs they need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the governments of a number of jurisdictions in Canada have amended their employment standards legislation to entitle employees to emergency unpaid job-protected leave.