Ebola Balancing Risk And Rights

As the crisis in west Africa grows and North America has experienced its first death from Ebola, Canadian employers are starting to feel less immune from this threat and to question what actions they can - and should - take to ensure the health and safety of their employees.

While there have been no cases of Ebola in Canada, for employers that have employees with families in west Africa who have recently visited or who are currently visiting, the issue may be real and immediate. If such employers provide care or support to the ill, elderly or children, health and safety concerns should be paramount. For employers whose employees interact with the public, there may be a need to educate and assuage concerns.