On February 28, 2020, the World Health Organization
raised the global risk assessment of COVID-19 (also known as the
"Coronavirus") to "very high".
This post is intended to address issues that have been
raised by employers since our last post on the matter (which can be
found
here) and the near-global spread of
COVID-19.
The COVID-19 Pandemic
As of March 2, 2020, COVID-19 has spread to more than 58
countries. In Canada, 30 cases have been confirmed, including 1
case in Quebec.
Given the near global spread of COVID-19, employers must ensure
the health and safety of their employees. It is advisable for
employers to issue written communications to employees providing
information, such as useful website links, regarding the symptoms
and outbreak of COVID-19. These communications should also provide
clear guidelines with respect to the company's
expectations.
