Managing the coronavirus (COVID-19) for employers

▤ Summary

To reduce the potential risk of abuse of paid sick leave by employees who decide to self-quarantine but are unable to work remotely due to the nature of their job, employers may require documentary proof (e.g., copies of travel documents confirming a recent trip to a high-risk area) as a condition of receiving payment. Global Affairs Canada currently advises against non-essential travel to some areas of China, Iran, Italy and South Korea and to exercise a high degree of caution in Japan. Although China remains the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak and multiple other countries have been identified as high-risk areas for transmission of the virus, it is important that measures to deal with COVID-19 do not discriminate on the basis of race, ancestry, or place of origin. It is important to note that human rights and occupational health and safety protections also extend to ensuring that employees are not harassed, bullied or mistreated in the course of their employment because of their race, ancestry, or place of origin. If an employee exercises this right, the employer should consult with their legal counsel regarding the potential application of work refusal procedures under the occupational health and safety legislation in their jurisdiction.

▦ Linked Companies

First Reference

$1M to $5M