The Ontario government has enacted the Employment Standards Amendment Act (Infectious Disease Emergencies) 2020 which includes the following measures that will protect your job if:

• You are under medical investigation, supervision or treatment
• You are acting in accordance with an order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act
• You are in isolation or quarantine
• You are acting in accordance with public health information and direction
• Your employer directed you NOT to work
• You are providing care to a person for a reason relating to COVID-19; includes spouse, children/stepchildren, siblings, extended family
• The employee is prevented from returning to Ontario because of travel restrictions

THESE MEASURES ARE RETROACTIVE FROM JANUARY 25, 2020.

The act also makes it clear that an employee will not be required to provide a medical note if they need to take leave. However, the employer may require the employee to provide other evidence that is reasonable in the circumstances.

On April 29, 2021, the Ontario Government amended the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) to require employers to provide employees with up to three days of paid infectious disease emergency leave because of certain reasons related to COVID-19. This entitlement is in addition to employees’ rights to unpaid infectious disease emergency leave. 

Paid infectious disease emergency leave is available for certain reasons related to, including:

• Going for a COVID-19 test
• Staying home awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test
• Being sick with COVID-19
• Getting individual medical treatment for mental health reasons related to COVID-19
• Going to get vaccinated
• Experiencing a side effect from a COVID-19 vaccination
• Having been advised to self-isolate due to COVID-19 by an employer, medical practitioner or other specified authority
• Providing care or support to certain relatives for COVID-1 related reasons, such as when they are: 
  • sick with COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19
  • self-isolating due to COVID-19 on the advice of a medical practitioner or other specified authority

Employers are generally required to pay employees the wages they would have earned had they not taken the leave, up to $200 a day for up to three days.

Employers who do not comply with their obligations under the Canada Labour Code may be subject to compliance and enforcement measures, including administrative monetary penalties. 

Discrimination and COVID-19: discrimination including harassment against any persons or communities related to COVID-19 is prohibited under the Ontario Human Rights Code. The OHRC’s policy position is that the Code ground of disability is engaged in relation to COVID-19 as it covers medical conditions or perceived medical conditions that carry significant social stigma. Employers have a duty to accommodate employees in relation to COVID-19 up to undue hardship.

AS OF SEPTEMBER 2021 CHANGES & EXTENSIONS HAVE BEEN MADE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2022

• On September 26, 2021, the $500 minimum weekly income for EI will be reduced to $300 per week (similar to CRB). New claimants between September 26, 2021, and November 20, 2021, will only receive a base rate of $1,200 per month instead of $2,000.
• From September 26, 2021, until at least September 25, 2022, the duration of Regular EI will no longer be 50 weeks in all regions. The number of weeks you receive benefits will again be based on your accumulated work hours and the regional unemployment rate.
• To be eligible for Regular EI and Special EI benefits such as parental leave, workers currently need only 120 hours of work. But on September 26, workers will need 420 work hours to qualify.

In Spring 2020, the Ontario government introduced the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB). CRB provided support to eligible workers who were not employed or self-employed for reasons related to COVID-19 or had their income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19 or were not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI). This benefit ended on October 23, 2021.

On April 29, 2021, the Ontario COVID-19  Worker Income Benefit came into effect and the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) was amended to replace CRB. The Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit would provide $300 a week to eligible workers who are unable to work due to a local lockdown anytime between October 24, 2021, and May 7, 2022.

These Benefits have now all ended as of May 7, 2022:

• The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) provides $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) per week for up to a maximum of six weeks, for workers.
• The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) provides $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for up to 44 weeks per household for workers

AS OF MARCH 2022

If public health and health care indicators continue to improve, the following public health and workplace safety measures will come into effect on March 1, 2022.

• capacity limits lifted in all indoor public settings
• proof of vaccination requirements lifted, with businesses being allowed to implement them voluntarily
• other protective measures, such as mask/face covering requirements and active/passive screening of patrons, will be in place
• public health units can deploy local and regional responses based on local health indicators

AS OF SEPTEMBER 2021

As of September 22, 2021, Ontarians will need to be fully vaccinated (two doses plus 14 days) and provide their proof of vaccination along with photo ID to access certain public settings and facilities. Download proof here. 

COVID-19 vaccination policy for employees, staff, contractors, students and volunteers, and for ambulance services to have a policy for paramedics starting September 7, 2021, and will require proof of one of three things:

• Full vaccination against COVID-19;
• A medical reason for not being vaccinated against COVID-19; or
• Completion of a COVID-19 vaccination educational session.

Individuals who do not provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be required to undertake regular antigen testing. 

At Work

Mandatory vaccination requirements are already in place as of October 30, 2021, for the public sector, employees working in the federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors, and travellers on these modes of transportation. The new regulations would ensure that employees in all other federally regulated industries, such as road transportation, telecommunications, and banking, are also vaccinated.

Also, effective October 30, travellers departing from Canadian airports, and travellers on VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains, will be required to be fully vaccinated in order to travel.

• Workers in long-term care homes are currently required to have two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to stay on the job and they have until March 14 to get third shots.

• The federally regulated sector is comprised of workplaces from a broad range of industries, including interprovincial air, rail, road, and marine transportation, pipelines, banks, postal and courier services, among others.

• All federal public servants in the Core Public Administration (CPA), including members and reservists of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) must be vaccinated against COVID-19. This requirement applies whether employees are teleworking, working remotely or working on-site.

Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act – During the declared emergency, an employee may have had a right under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) to take declared emergency leave, which is an unpaid, job-protected leave of absence. Learn more.

Emergencies declared in Ontario under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA):

• March 17, 2020, to July 24, 2020
• January 12, 2021, to February 9, 2021
• April 7, 2021, to June 2, 2021
• February 14, 2022 **The Emergency Economic Measures Order (SOR/2022-22) came into force immediately and will be in effect for 30 days (link)

The emergencies applied to the entire province of Ontario. There is no declared emergency in effect at this time.

During a declared emergency, an employee may have the right under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) to take declared emergency leave, which is an unpaid, job-protected, leave of absence.