COVID-19 is new territory for us all, and that includes dealing with it as an employer or an employee.
Senior partner with the McKercher law firm, David Stack, has been researching and keeping clients up-to-date on legislation changes.
He says public health emergency leave was created for this crisis.
It means if an employee is directed to self-isolate, they will still have a job when it’s time to come back to work.
It’s unpaid leave, but employees should have access to income support from the federal government.
The emergency leave can also be used if you need to take care of a family member.
If you are able to work from home though, you would receive your regular wage.

As an employer, if a worker may have been exposed or has tested positive, there may be issues of privacy to work around.
Stack says, disclosure should be kept minimal, but generally speaking, if there is a concern the employer has to disclose health information, it’s not a bad idea to consult legal counsel prior to any actions.

When it comes to vacation time, if an employee’s holiday has to be postponed because of fewer people in the workplace, the employer would have to pay all non-refundable deposits, penalties and pre-paid expenses related to the vacation.