March 23, 2020

Your CFA Daily Update on COVID-19

Ontario and Quebec announce mandatory closure of all non-essential businesses

Quebec Premier François Legault and Ontario Premier Doug Ford both have ordered the mandatory closure of all non-essential workplaces in the province. The order will take effect at 11:59 p.m.

Ontario’s shutdown will last for 14 days. Ontario has not yet published a definition, but we expect that only “essential manufacturers and supply chain providers” as well as emergency services, supermarkets, pharmacies, LCBO, and takeout restaurants will be deemed essential. It is unclear if construction will be considered an essential service. Schools will remain closed beyond the initially announced April 6 return date.

Quebec’s shutdown will last for 21 days. As of now, the definition is known to include grocery stores, pharmacies, emergency services, the healthcare network, food supply chain-related shops. Construction sites and aluminum works will not be considered essential and must shut down. In eldercare residences, residents will only be allowed to leave if under supervision. Schools will remain closed for 6 more weeks at least, irrespective of the length of the full lockdown.

Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers – CRA Guidance

The CRA has issued guidance on how the Temporary Wage Subsidy for Employers will be administered.

BUSINESS RESOURCES

– BDC – Webinar – March 25 – How to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 on your business

Parliament reconvenes on Tuesday

On Tuesday a smaller-than-normal number of MPs will be called back on Tuesday at noon to adopt emergency measures announced earlier this week by the federal government that are intended to offset the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The package includes $27 billion in direct supports and another $55 billion to help business liquidity through tax deferrals.

• A temporary boost to Canada Child Benefit payments, delivering about $2 billion in extra support.
• A new Emergency Care Benefit of up to $900 biweekly, up to 15 weeks, to provide income support to workers, including the self-employed, who have to stay home and don't qualify for paid sick leave or employment insurance. The measure could disburse up to $10 billion.
• A new Emergency Support Benefit to provide up to $5 billion in support to workers who are not eligible for EI and who are facing unemployment.  
• A six-month, interest-free reprieve on student loan payments.
• Doubling the homeless care program. 
• Extending the tax filing deadline to June 1.
• Allowing taxpayers to defer until after Aug. 31 tax payments that are due after today and before September.
• $305 million for a new Indigenous Community Support Fund to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation communities.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said his party supports getting money out to Canadians and will be supporting the measures.

More that 500,000 applied for EI last week

Many Canadians are being laid off because of the pandemic as businesses scale back or shut down. More than 500,000 people applied for Employment Insurance this week. Read more here.

Applicants for EI usually need a medical certificate along with records of employment, though the new rules allow quarantined workers to apply without the certificate. If you can't apply because you are quarantined, you can also file for EI sickness benefits later and have the claim backdated. Read more about the EI claims process here. 

ARTICLES OF INTEREST FROM CFA MEMBERS

– BDO – Determining your infectious disease risk during the Covid-19 outbreak

– Dentons – COVID-19: Evolving government orders and recommendations for individuals and businesses

Vancouver will fine businesses that don’t enforce social distancing

British Columbia's biggest city is warning that businesses that don't enforce proper social distancing measures could face big fines — or closures. Vancouver city council is holding a virtual meeting Monday to pass bylaws that would allow for the imposition of what the mayor calls "significant" penalties.

Update: Alberta Government Confirms COVID-19 Unpaid Leave

The Government of Alberta recently confirmed the changes it is implementing to Alberta's Employment Standards Code (Code) to provide job-protected leave as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 Regulation provides that an employee is entitled to 14 days of unpaid job-protected leave if he or she is under any self-isolation and self-quarantine as a result of COVID-19. This is a reversal of the government’s previous communication that the leave would be paid.

Notably, in order to be eligible for this leave, employees do not have to:

• Have been employed by the same employer for 90 days;
• Provide a medical certificate; or
• Provide their employer with any notice, written or otherwise, of the date they intend to return to work.

The COVID-19 Regulation is retroactive to March 5, 2020, and allows for the statutorily job-protected leave to be extended beyond 14 days if the chief medical officer recommends that it is necessary to do so. The COVID-19 Regulation also does not impact an employee's entitlement to 16 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave in a calendar year for illness or injury, as is already contemplated in the Code.

CFA UPCOMING WEBINAR

Impact of COVID-19 on Employment Law

March 24, 2020 | 2 p.m. ET

Your Speakers:

DESCRIPTION:
This webinar will provide you with an overview of the impact of the rapidly-changing COVID-19 situation on employment law. Topics covered in this webinar include layoffs, sick leave, quarantine leave and terminations. It will also provide you with the opportunity to ask questions to legal experts.

Alleviating the crunch – how new government programs can help

March 26, 2020 | 2 p.m. ET

Your Speaker:

DESCRIPTION:
This webinar will provide you with an overview of the impact of the rapidly-changing COVID-19 situation on employment law. Topics covered in this webinar include layoffs, sick leave, quarantine leave and terminations. It will also provide you with the opportunity to ask questions to legal experts.

COVID-19's impact on the world is creating waves across all sectors and industries.

Every member of the CFA community is dealing with an issue that is affecting the world, our industries, our communities, our businesses, and our people.

We would like to hear from you if you have any topics, issues or questions to navigate turbulent times in order to support you further: