Likely in response to the recent changes in the CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19, Governor Whitmer signed Senate Bill 1258 into law, modifying COVID-19 worker quarantine requirements.
On January 27, 2021, Governor Northam announced that he had approved a Final Permanent Standard for preventing COVID-19 in the workplace, making Virginia the first state in the nation to implement a permanent COVID-19 workplace safety and health standard.
On January 22, 2021, after two months of stringent lockdown orders, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a new epidemic order significantly relaxing gathering restrictions.
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.
On January 13, 2021, Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services extended the state’s COVID-19 emergency epidemic order limiting gatherings and imposing restrictions, but relaxed some constraints.
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 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.
