Work from home, for many of us, has become the "new
normal", as part of the effort to slow the progression of
COVID-19 through physical distancing. The new
"working-from-home economy", which is likely to continue
long past the pandemic, has also brought forth new health and
safety challenges for employers.
In many jurisdictions, employers should understand that an
employee's home may be considered an extension of the
workplace, if the home is where the employee is engaged in work for
his or her employer. In those jurisdictions, requirements and
duties set out in occupational health and safety statutes may
apply, including general duty clauses, which require employers to
take every reasonable precaution for the protection of workers. In
other jurisdictions, like Ontario, the answer is less clear. In
Ontario, the definition of a "workplace" is broad enough
to cover a worker working at home. However, the Occupational
Health and Safety Act of Ontario (OHSA) states it
