Are you an employer or an employee who has been affected by the global pandemic and need answers to employment and HR related questions? You need a lawyer. Scott Chambers is an experienced employment lawyer who is offering REMOTE (video-conference or telephone) consultation service at a fixed price in 30 minute ($199) and 1 hour blocks ($399). Contact Scott Chambers today at [email protected] or call 250-979-2527 or 1-800-661-4959.
As the norms of society have shifted as a result of COVID-19, the issue of wearing a mask or not has become a contentious issue in and outside of the workplace. While preventative masking is not mandatory pursuant to government legislation, many businesses are requiring customers and employees to mask. A private business is well…
Read MoreReturn to Work Post-Pandemic Employment Law Considerations Click below to watch our webinar on returning to work during COVID-19. Click to Watch Resources: Slides PDF
Read MoreBy: Nikita Gush, Associate Lawyer at Doak Shirreff Lawyers LLP Employers have a duty to protect the workplace health, safety, privacy, and human rights of their employees. As our province begins to “restart” it is important for employers to consider the responsibilities they have while they re-open and restart their business operations. As you may…
Read MoreBusiness Matters with Rob Cupello Click below to watch our Business Matters session with Rob Cupello of NowMedia Group. Click to Watch Resources: ALL the COVID-19 Federal and Provincial Benefits & Resources for Individuals in Canada and British Columbia Provincial and Federal Benefits PDF
Read MoreLast week the federal government released further details on CECRA and how it would assist commercial tenants and landlords. Commercial rent is under the jurisdiction of the provinces and both the federal and provincial governments will contribute to this relief program; in B.C. the total amount available will be around $300 million with the provincial…
Read MoreIf your business has been affected by Covid-19 you need to consider the following. Read Your Lease You should always read your lease first, or have a lawyer assist you in reading your lease. Commercial leases are similar in that they are always favourable to a landlord and they will contain key provisions to protect…
Read MoreIf you are a landlord and you are looking to rent a property right now you are facing unprecedented challenges related to Covid-19. One important piece of information to keep in mind is how much rent you will charge. There are restrictions in place that put a cap on how much a landlord can increase…
Read MoreBy Scott Chambers Media outlets throughout the world are reporting on a pricy annual premium that Wimbledon added to its commercial insurance policy every year for the last 17 years. Apparently, Wimbledon paid upwards of $2,000,000 per year for pandemic insurance, something that most would have, prior to March 2020, viewed as an extremely remote…
Read MoreWhat Has Changed? The provincial government issued an emergency order at the end of March regarding residential tenancies in BC. The order has placed a ban on all evictions except in very narrow circumstances. If a landlord gives a tenant a notice to evict on or after March 30, 2020 it is of no force…
Read MoreFederal Resources & Benefit Programs for Individuals: Employment Insurance Benefits if you’re temporarily laid off: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit/apply.html Canada Emergency Response Benefit if you’re ineligible for Employment Insurance: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits if you’re ill: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-sickness/apply.html Increased Canada Child Benefit if you have children: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview/canada-child-benefit-apply.html Indigenous Community Support Fund: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1585189335380/1585189357198 Mortgage Deferral Options for Homeowners: https://cba.ca/mortgage-deferral-to-help-canadians-experiencing-financial-hardship-due-to-covid-19…
Read MoreThe global pandemic we are currently facing has put tremendous pressure on everyone, and caused serious financial strain for many. During times like these many people are considering how they can financially help their loved ones get through the loss of a job, the temporary closure of a business, or changes to financing with respect…
Read MoreDetails will soon be announced for further amendments to the new Canada Emergency Response Benefits (CERB) to fill in the gaps of individuals experiencing income loss who were still otherwise ineligible for the program. The CERB benefit was designed to provide income support of $2,000 per month for 4 months to those individuals who suffered…
Read MoreBoth the Federal government and provincial government in British Columbia are implementing new programs in effort to develop an economic response plan to the detrimental effects COVID-19 will ultimately have on our economy. Due to the ever-evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, government programming has been fluctuating and changing on an almost day-to-day basis. Therefore,…
Read MoreThe current COVID-19 crisis has placed us in a position most of us have never been in before. This statement certainly applies to recently separated parents and this is raising new questions and problems regarding parenting after separation. It is not uncommon for parenting disputes to arise out of disagreements over healthcare decisions. Often parents…
Read MoreThe outbreak of Covid-19 has put tremendous pressure on everyone and has thrown several contracts into uncertainty. If you have a contract to buy or sell property, or if you are thinking of entering into a contract, keep the below points in mind, and reach out to one of the real estate lawyers at Doak…
Read MoreCOVID-19 has changed our world in profound and unprecedented ways. Employment and HR Law has been effected in almost immediate and uncommon ways with unexpected lay offs, terminations, temporary business closures, Employment Insurance benefit, Emergency Benefits for employees who don't qualify for E.I. benefits, sickness benefits, etc. These issues are changing rapidly and employers need…
Read MoreWith unprecedented layoffs in almost every industry and near-constant changes to the Employment Insurance Act and emergency legislation being implemented, below is a summary of benefits that are currently available to Canadians, have recently been updated and that will become available in short order to aid income losses during this time: Regular Employment Insurance Benefits:…
Read MoreOn March 20, 2020, Toronto employment lawyer Howard Levitt wrote an article for the Financial Post entitled, “Looking to temporarily lay off staff during the coronavirus crisis? Wait, that’s illegal”. While technically a correct interpretation of the common law regarding temporary lay offs, the article is also fundamentally irresponsible and people should really be hesitant…
Read More"I think I need to layoff some of my employees because of the negative affect COVID-19 is having on my business. How do layoffs work in non-unionized work environments?" A “layoff” is a temporary pause in employment that does not exceed 13 weeks in a 20 consecutive week period. If a layoff is longer than…
Read MoreWould an employee who has COVID-19 have a ‘disability’ and be protected under BC Human Rights Act? The BC Human Rights Code provides that an employer must not refuse to employ, refuse to continue to employ or discriminate against an employee because of their: Race Colour Ancestry Place of origin Political belief Religion Marital status…
Read MoreThe Legal Implications of COVID-19 and section 65(1)(d) of the Employment Standards Act: Can an Employment Contract be Frustrated by Pandemic? One of the main principles of the Employment Standards Act (the “ESA”) is the legislated notice requirements that employees are entitled to be given upon a ‘without cause’ termination. The minimum reasonable notice periods…
Read MoreFor Employers - Federal Work Sharing Program This program allows for eligible employers to avoid layoffs and retain skilled employees and workers during the uncontrollable business downturn resulting from COVID-19. Note that applications for a work-sharing agreement must be submitted a minimum of 30 days prior to the requested start date. This has not changed…
Read MoreConsiderations for Employers Laying Off Employees in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic If your business makes the decision that it has no option but to decrease its workforce in response to COVID-19 or the resultant economic effects, it is important to be aware that the standard laws surrounding lay-offs and termination (including notice periods or pay…
Read MoreAs the ever fluid circumstances surrounding the global response to COVID-19 continue to evolve, below are some common questions which have arisen. Is it mandatory for Employees to self-isolate? If the Employee has travelled, both Federal and Provincial public health leaders have recommended that all travellers to Canada self-isolate for 14 days. These efforts will…
Read MoreIf an employee contracts COVID-19 while at work, it would likely be considered a work-related injury which would be covered by the Workers Compensation Act and administered through WorkSafeBC. The nature of COVID-19 and the fact that symptoms may not develop for a considerable period may make it difficult to assess whether the employee was…
Read MoreIn these unprecedented times, many employers are faced with unexpected closures of rapid downturns in business that unfortunately requires a decision to lay off or terminate employees. Employers can find other articles on the means and process of termination on our website here. This article will explore the risks and requirements of employers facing the…
Read MoreSome employees who have been travelling back to Canada from abroad, including the United States are required to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days under mandate from the federal government. Other employees, who have travelled recently from Italy, certain Chinese provinces and Iran are required to not only self-quarantine, but also required to report…
Read MoreLike in most employment law contexts, the answer depends. Some employees are unable to refuse to work on health and safety grounds like a pandemic such as COVID-19 – these employees include firefighters, police, hospital and long-term health care workers as their employment is inherently dangerous and required to deal with such risk. Other employees…
Read MoreThe recent worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is affecting businesses everywhere. Whether it is mandatory or recommended closures, limited hours, skeleton staffing, or temporary or indefinite layoffs – everyone is, or will be, impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The various rights and obligations of employers and employees alike remain in full force and are not deferred from…
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