Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 05 JUNE 2020

Critical Ontario COVID-19 Update On Emergency Leave, Temporary Layoffs And Constructive Dismissals

Miller Thomson
Miller Thomson
Contributor

Miller Thomson

Miller Thomson LLP ("Miller Thomson") is a national business law firm with approximately 500...

View firm profile
Explore more from Miller Thomson

This regulation is welcome news for employers, as it provides relief from deemed terminations and constructive dismissal in such circumstances.

CanadaCoronavirus (COVID-19)
Zeinab Yousif
Zeinab Yousif
Author LinkedIn connections

By way of a O. Reg 228/20 filed on May 29, 2020 (the "Regulation") under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 ("ESA") , the Ontario government has extended the Infectious Disease Emergency Leave to apply to non-unionized employees "whose hours of work are temporarily reduced or eliminated by the employer for reasons related to COVID-19". The Regulation also stipulates that such employees and those who have their wages temporarily reduced have not been constructively dismissed where the changes occur for COVID-19 related reasons within a defined period of time, reviewed further below. This regulation is welcome news for employers, as it provides relief from deemed terminations and constructive dismissal in such circumstances.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Quebec’s New Truck Licence Transfer Rules: What Ontario Carriers Need To Do Now

Ontario commercial truck drivers with less than two years of heavy-truck experience must now pass a practical road test administered by Quebec's SAAQ before transferring their licence to operate heavy vehicles in the province. This new requirement follows fatal collisions and an Ontario Auditor General audit that exposed significant gaps in training standards and provider oversight. Carriers operating across the border need to factor these requirements into workforce planning, recruitment timelines, and dis
CanadaTransport
Miller Thomson
Miller Thomson
Article

Nouvelles règles québécoises sur l’échange des permis de conduire de véhicules lourds : quelles sont les mesures à prendre par les transporteurs ontariens

Ontario truck drivers with less than two years of commercial heavy vehicle experience must now pass a practical road test administered by Quebec's SAAQ before exchanging their license to drive commercial heavy vehicles in the province. This new requirement follows a series of collisions involving heavy trucks in Quebec and a May 2026 audit revealing significant gaps in Ontario's training standards and oversight of providers. Carriers operating across the Ontario-Quebec border must now factor these requireme
CanadaTransport
Miller Thomson
Miller Thomson
Article

Privacy, Data Protection, And Cybersecurity: What Foreign Companies Must Consider Before Entering The Canadian Market

Foreign companies entering Canada often assume their existing privacy programs designed for GDPR or CCPA compliance can simply extend to Canadian operations, but Canada's legal requirements demand targeted modifications. This comprehensive guide examines Canada's private sector privacy legislation, breach reporting obligations, AI governance expectations, and anti-spam regulations that businesses must navigate before launching in the Canadian market.
CanadaPrivacy
Miller Thomson
Miller Thomson
Article

Canada’s Revised AML Framework: Sweeping Penalties And Compliance Requirements

Bill C-12 has fundamentally transformed Canada's anti-money laundering framework by introducing penalties up to forty times higher than previous levels and expanding compliance obligations across the financial sector. The legislation now requires all reporting entities to enroll with FINTRAC and maintain "reasonably designed, risk-based and effective" compliance programs, while imposing cumulative maximum penalties that can reach 3% of global revenue.
CanadaFinance and Banking
Miller Thomson
Miller Thomson
Article

Ontario’s Mandatory Annual Holdback Release Starts In 2027: What Owners And Contractors Need To Know

Starting in 2027, all Ontario project owners with contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2026, and most owners with contracts dating back to July 1, 2018, must start releasing statutory holdback to their contractors on an annual basis. This requirement is the latest in a series of construction payment reforms under Ontario’s Construction Act. It replaces the traditional model of retaining holdback until substantial performance. Owners and contractors who fail to comply with the notice and payment timelines face exposure to interest claims, payment disputes, and adjudication proceedings.
CanadaReal Estate and Construction
Miller Thomson
Miller Thomson