Layoffs and terminations are frequently used interchangeably and erroneously in the media. If you have lost your job due to the COVID-19 emergency measures, you must understand which one applies to you because your rights vary greatly, depending on which one it is.
The COVID-19 crisis has put a glaring spotlight on the matter of sick leave. Will you manage financially if you have to take extended time off from work to recover? National short-term disability benefits would dovetail perfectly with the long-held Canadian tradition of universal healthcare. And implementing it would require nothing more than simple modifications to existing programs.
On June 1, 2020, the Ford government introduced amendments to the Employment Standards Act (ESA). The changes primarily accommodate employers and their present-day financial woes. At a glance, this will come as a terrible blow and a step backwards for employee rights in Ontario. However, Ontario’s employment laws still remain pro-employee. Here’s why.
CERB was introduced with great haste in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Ordinarily, such programs take months and years to design. While it has temporarily replaced the EI benefits program, the government has not presently clarified how CERB will be treated against severance pay. The CRA may require you to pay it back.
COVID-19 exposes employees to hazardous conditions not encountered before. This blog will help employees understand health and safety provisions that offer you the right to refuse unsafe work.
Anyone facing a layoff due to COVID-19 should understand how to apply for federal government assistance through the Employment Insurance program, and know your rights if the pandemic persists and the economy slides into a recession.
