Articles and resources concerning covid-19 as it pertains to those seeking employment law advice. The content of these articles, and this website generally, is not intended as legal advice and cannot be relied upon as legal advice.
Effective January 1, 2022, eligible BC employees who have worked for at least 90 days for their employer can take up to five paid days of paid leave for personal illness or injury. The five days do not have to be taken consecutively. Employers may make reasonable requests for “sufficient proof” of illness “as soon [...]
Recently, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BC Government has implemented mandatory vaccine policies for healthcare workers. The Order of the Provincial Health Officer is titled, “COVID-19 Vaccination Status Information and Preventive Measures Order” and may be found here. This article aims to clarify healthcare workers’ questions about how these policies affect their legal [...]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzvgvmwCkFc Also read: Can I get fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine? Transcript: In March 2020, the BC Government amended the Employment Standards Act to allow employees to take job-protected COVID-19 related leave. I’m Rebecca Jackson, a lawyer at Labour Rights Law Office. In this video, I talk about the BC Government’s recent amendment to [...]
You may recall that in March 2020, the BC Government amended the Employment Standards Act to allow employees to take job-protected COVID-19 related leave. Recently, the BC Government made another amendment to the Employment Standards Act, to allow employees to take up to three hours off work, with pay, to get the COVID-19 vaccine. This [...]
What are the differences between being "recalled" and "rehired" when returning to work after Covid-19 layoffs? As government restrictions on workplaces are becoming more relaxed, businesses that have laid off their workers due to the pandemic can now begin rebuilding their teams. However, employees who are hired back should be aware of the legalities surrounding their [...]
The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (“CERB”) ended on 26 September 2020 and has been replaced by the Canada Recovery Benefit (“CRB”). The CRB is available for those who are not eligible for Employment Insurance (“EI”) or had their employment income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19. Eligible individuals can receive $500 per week [...]
Does the "frustration of contract" doctrine allow employers the right to end employment without giving notice or severance amid a global pandemic? As the pandemic continues to adversely affect business operations, there are several important considerations for both employees and employers, especially when the pandemic continues to threaten operations for the unforeseeable future. One of [...]
Have you been laid-off past the maximum temporary layoff period? Understand what options are available to you and how you and your employer can apply together for "variance" to extend temporary layoffs. On August 31st, the BC government published an update on its website stating that employers and employees are now able to apply to [...]
To slow the spread of COVID-19, many employees are choosing to continue working remotely, where they can practice social distancing. Below we have outlined some of the legal considerations that both employers and employees need to be aware of in order to successfully navigate through the uncertainties of working remotely. WorkSafeBC Rules Regarding Safety at [...]
Can my employer lay me off? If you are in a union, this question depends on the language of your collective agreement and we recommend that you contact your union representative. If you are not in a union, the Employment Standards Act only permits temporary layoffs in very limited circumstances. Economic Downturn & Temporary Layoffs [...]
