Key Considerations for Employers managing the fallout from Covid-19

Published in The Lawyer's Daily | Wednesday, April 01, 2020

Covid-19 is causing the largest disruption to the Canadian economy, potentially in a century. The number of claims for employment insurance the week of March 16, 2020, approached 500,000, dwarfing the 2008 financial crisis in speed and volume.

Provincial emergency directives ordering schools, restaurants, and other businesses to close substantial portions of their operations, and politicians and medical health officers advising people to practice social distancing by staying home are having rapid effects on markets.

Business owners across Ontario are looking for ways to temporarily cut costs to protect the long-term viability of their business as customer demand has weakened and supply chains have dramatically slowed.

This guide provides a high-level overview of the immediate legal issues employers will face over the coming weeks and months:

1. What do employers need to do to keep employees safe?
2. What are an employer’s options if they need to temporarily lay-off employees?
3. Can an employer establish a workshare program with employees?
4. What government support is available to employees?