Blog

Regional Resources

• City of Edmonton
• City of Calgary
• City of Red Deer
• City of Lethbridge

Links to Health Resources

• Up to date info from Alberta Government https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx
• Alberta Health Services – COVID-19 Resources https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page16997.aspx
• Business continuity planning – https://www.ccohs.ca/publications/PDF/businesscontinuity.pdf
• Health Canada Risk Prevention – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html
• Health Canada OHS Guidelines – https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/notices/coronavirus-occupational-health-safety.html
• Health Canada Travel Guide – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html
• Trade Commissioner of Canada – Advice for businesses https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/campaign-campagne/ressources-entreprises-COVID-19-business-resources.aspx?lang=eng
• World Health Organization Info – https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

Best Practices for Cleaning and Prevention

General Cleaning

• Increase daily cleaning and disinfection of common areas and surfaces. Pay particular attention to door knobs, light switches, staff rooms, desktops, washrooms and other high touch surfaces.
• Cleaning refers to the removal of visible dirt, grime and impurities. Cleaning does not kill germs but helps remove them from the surface.
• Disinfecting refers to using chemical to kill germs on surfaces. This is most effective after surfaces are cleaned. Both steps are important to reduce the spread of infection.
• Use a disinfectant that has a Drug Identification Number (DIN) and a virucidal claim. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label to disinfect effectively. Alternatively, you can prepare a bleach water solution with 100 ml of unscented household bleach per 900 ml of water.
• Be sure to use / take the appropriate precautions when using chemicals for cleaning and disinfecting. Consult the product Safety Data Sheets.

Prevention

• Wash your hands often and well (at least 20 seconds)
• Avoid touching your face, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched
• Stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill
• When sick, cover your cough and sneezes and then wash your hands (sneeze or cough into your elbow or a tissue)

Changes to Alberta Employment Standards Due to COVID-19
from McLennan Ross LLP Labour & Employment Team

In recognition of the unusual impact COVID-19 is having upon employers and employees and the need for some of the normal workplace rules and expectations to be relaxed, the Alberta Minister of Labour has just announced this afternoon a Ministerial Order that temporarily alters the provisions of the Employment Standards Code and Employment Standards Regulation:

• A new unpaid leave of absence has been created for employees who need time off from work because of childcare responsibilities. Employers are entitled to make certain inquiries in dealing with requests for this new family leave. Employees are protected from termination and layoff while on this leave, though there is normally an exception in cases where an employer suspends or discontinues part or all of its operations.
• Employers can now temporarily layoff employees for up to 120 days before termination is deemed to occur (and termination or group termination pay is required). The temporary layoff period was previously 60 days of layoff within any 120-day period. This is also a sensible change since employers are seeing the restrictions on their ability to operate extending to what may easily be more than 60 days (and now hopefully less than 120 days).
• The group termination provisions do not apply. These provisions required enhanced termination notice to affected employees, any unions, and the Minister of Labour when 50 or more employees are terminated from a single location within a 4-week period, as follows:
  • 50 – 99 employees: 8 weeks
  • 100 – 299 employees: 12 weeks
  • 300+ employees: 16 weeks

These provisions, which became effective January 1, 2018, were punitive to employers facing a need for significant downsizing. When such large reductions in a workforce are required, employers are rarely able to provide such advance notice, and the financial cost is excessive at a time when employers can least afford it. These impractical consequences are particularly apparent in the face of COVID-19, and we have had many employers telling us that having to provide group termination in the current circumstances would be financially ruinous to them.

• The 24-hour written notice requirement for changes to schedules does not apply. Employers have had to respond to many scheduling challenges in the face of COVID-19 for various reasons, such as:
  • staggering workforces for the purposes of physical distancing;
  • responding to fluctuations in work demands; and
  • responding to workforce fluctuations as employees are unable to attend work on short notice.
• The 2-week written notice for temporary changes to averaging agreements will not apply. These provisions have been very cumbersome and inflexible for general scheduling, and those problems have been exacerbated by COVID-19.
• Provisions on variances have been revised to make them easier to obtain. Variances are permits that allow relaxation of certain employment standards for individual workplaces. They are used where a need can be demonstrated in a given workplace. COVID-19 has resulted in many unique situations that require adjustments to the normal standards that would apply, and making it easier to obtain variances is part of an effort to remove red tape so that employers can respond to the current crisis in a timely way.

The changes are effective as follows:

• The new family leave and the extension of the period for temporary layoffs are effective March 16, 2020; and
• The other changes are effective as of the date of the Ministerial Order.

Although most of these changes would be sensible on a permanent basis, for now they will only last for as long as the COVID-19 crisis continues. The changes are a welcome relief to employers and very much needed. They will also be welcomed by employees struggling with child care needs.

Employment rules changes

The Government will be implementing paid, job-protected leave. Details of how these changes will take effect will be provided in the coming days.

Changes to the Employment Standards Code will allow employees to take 14 days of paid, job-protected leave if they are:

• required to self-isolate
• sick or caring for a loved one with COVID-19

To be eligible, employees:

• will not be required to have a medical note
• do not need to have worked for an employer for 90 days

This leave covers the self-isolation period recommended by Alberta’s chief medical officer. They recognize this could put pressure on employers and are working towards a solution to address these challenges.

How to manage in the workplace

• Ensure you have hand washing protocols in place
  • Fact sheets to post in the work environment can be found here:
    • https://open.alberta.ca/publications/covid-19-information-help-prevent-the-spread-poster
    • https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/diseases-maladies/reduce-spread-covid-19-wash-your-hands/eng-handwashing.pdf
    • https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/diseases-conditions/about-coronavirus-disease-covid-19/about-coronavirus-disease-covid-19.pdf
  • Ensure employees understand their responsibility to report if they are feeling ill or of any activities that put them at risk of COVID-19.
  • Communicate with your employees about HR policies around sick leave (if any).
  • Ensure employees understand why they may need to self-isolate, support them in this decision and make sure they understand they will be sent home from work if they present with symptoms.
  • Share the AHS Self-assessment tool with employees – https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page16944.aspx
  • If an employee has to self-isolate, employees and employers should work together to explore alternate working arrangements:
    • Working from home or remotely
    • Doing work that requires limited contact with other
    • If an alternate working arrangement is not possible, employees can use paid sick time, if available. (see below for changes to Paid Sick Leave in AB).
    • The Government of Canada has removed wait times on Employment Insurance which can be used for self-isolation or care leaves.
  • Limit or restrict visitors to the business operation (not customers)
  • Consider restrictions on business and personal travel
  • Businesses that are receiving foreign workers should monitor advisories from the government departments responsible for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers.html)
  • Continue to follow recommendations provided around maintaining biosecurity and food safety standards.
  • Businesses that provide housing for their workers will need to ensure their risk management plan considers large numbers of employees being quarantined or requiring health care.
  • BC has a COVID-19 resource for employees in Spanish – https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/hlbc/files/documents/healthfeature/hf_040_coronavirus_covid-19-s.pdf