COVID-19 and Your Workplace: Four Part Webinar Series

Over the last several months, the laws and programs in regards to the pandemic have continued to change and are further planned to change. As a result of these changes, employers throughout Canada are effectively being told to reopen and bring their workers back to work. Accordingly, employers must now take the time to ensure that they understand what their options and obligations are for.

As part of our ongoing COVID-19 and Your Workplace webinar series, we will be hosting a four part webinar series to assist employers and HR professionals as they continue to navigate this challenging time. The details of our webinars are as follows:  

1) Thursday September 17th – Work Refusals
Presenter: Christine Ashton, Partner

Although your business may be ready to re-open or ramp up, some of your employees may be refusing to return to work due to childcare obligations and/or health concerns. Are employees allowed to demand that they work remotely? Can you force an employee to return to work? If an employee does not return to work, can they be dismissed? 

For this complimentary webinar, we will address dealing with refusals to work and refusals to return to work during the pandemic.
 
2) Thursday September 24th – Managing Remote Workers
Presenter: Daniel Condon, PartnerAs more and more employers are choosing to have some (or all) of their workforces continue to work remotely it is important for employers to have policies and procedures in place to ensure that the workers remain connected to the workplace and working effectively. This webinar offers strategies for establishing effective work from home environments while also addressing issues such as employee engagement, communications, oversight, health and safety, privacy as well as the protection of an employer’s confidential information.

For this complimentary webinar, we will address managing remote workers during the pandemic.

 3) Thursday October 8th  – Terminations during the Pandemic
Presenter: Christine Ashton, Partner and Rob Mignardi, Associate

There are a variety of reasons to decide to terminate an employment relationship at this time. It may be that the pandemic caused for an employment position to be eliminated or caused for you to realize a certain position was unnecessary. It may be that a decision to terminate an employment relationship had been made prior to the pandemic and you now wish to move forward with the termination. Whatever the reason, prior to dismissing an employee, employers must take the time to properly understand the entitlements that are being triggered. For example, it is possible that the pandemic may have substantially increased the employee’s entitlements. However, it is also possible that the employee is entitled to nothing, as a result of a job abandonment, a resignation, or the legal concept of frustration. 

For this complimentary webinar, we will address handling employment terminations during the pandemic and alternative options.

4) Thursday October 14th – Reduced Workforce Needs
Presenter: Daniel Condon, Partner

As is becoming evident the economic recovery from COVID-19 will vary significantly between industries and sectors of the economy. For many, recovery will be a slow process. As the same time, government subsidy programs are being wound down. As a result as summer turns into fall many employers will need to adjust their workforces. This webinar will address the options that are available to employers such as leaves of absences, temporary layoffs, inducements and terminations.

For this complimentary webinar, we will address your options to address reduced workforce needs.

As the options, obligations, and impact of COVID-19 on the workplace continue to change, we are ready to strategically support you and your business. For more information or for assistance with HR and employment law issues, please contact our firm.

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