Half-Day Intensive Virtual Workshop

As the Ontario economy reopens and employees are permitted to return to work on-site, the potential for increased absenteeism is real. At the height of the pandemic scare, the Government of Ontario introduced a new COVID-19-related protected leave under the Employment Standards Act, 2000, to complement the general duty to accommodate disability and family status under human rights legislation.

In this practical, half-day workshop participants will acquire knowledge and tools to address a range of absenteeism and attendance issues related to COVID-19, including: when is an employee entitled to time off of work, what is an employer’s entitlement to medical (and other) information, and are there best practices to manage a request for time off or a refusal to return to the workplace?

Using interactive learning and real life-scenarios, topics include:

• Illness and Isolation: When should an employee be required to remain at home?
• Leave Entitlements: To what leaves of absence might an employee be entitled?
• Family Status: Is there an obligation to provide accommodation for childcare or eldercare?
• Medical (and Other) Evidence: What can be requested to substantiate a request for time off, or to verify an ability to return?
• Work Refusal: How to respond if an employee refuses work either related to COVID-19, or because of a desire to remain on government benefits?