In Anderson v Total Instant Lawns Ltd, 2021 ONSC 2933 (Total Instant Lawns), an employee claimed her job was terminated and sought damages for wrongful dismissal.
Employers have been concerned about how layoffs and constructive dismissals that occur during the COVID-19 pandemic would be viewed by the courts under the common law.
On April 28, 2021, Ontario announced in a News Release that it will soon introduce legislation that, if passed, would require employers to pay employees up to $200 per day for up to three days if they miss work for reasons relating to COVID-19.
On April 20, 2021, Peel Public Health (Peel) and the City of Toronto Public Health (Toronto) announced they would be issuing Orders directing business closures in certain circumstances.
Ontario’s Superior Court recently denied an employer’s motion for an urgent injunction to restrain its former employee from competing with it contrary to the employee’s purported fiduciary duty and employment agreement’s restrictive covenant.
Ontario announced a two-week extension of its third declaration of emergency and its second Stay-at-Home order, and that in response to the rapid increase of COVID-19 case rates, it would impose additional restrictions.
The Medical Officer of Health in the Peel Public Health Region will issue an order directing businesses with five or more cases of COVID-19 in the previous 14 days to close for 10 calendar days in certain instances.
On April 13, 2021, Ontario announced that in Phase 2 of its COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan it will provide vaccines to those 18 and over via mass immunization clinics.
