Author name: jonkersdw

April 27, 2020 – the Ontario Government announced it’s “Framework for Reopening our Province”. no hard dates no specific businesses or services identified each stage is estimated to be two-to-four weeks, subject to virus containment STAGE 1: “select workplaces” that can immediately modify their operations to meet physical-distancing requirements, such as using curb-side pickup or […]

If I am an essential worker (or permitted to work at my job), can I refuse to go to work because I am concerned about getting the virus? If so, can I collect the CERB? If your employer is: maintaining physical distancing in the workplace;   practicing all federally, provincially and municipally ordered and recommended

April 22, 2020 – the Canada Revenue Agency (the “CRA”) announced it would allow special, favorable tax treatment to employees working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CRA will accept that the reimbursement of an employee, for amounts spent on personal computer equipment to enable the employee to work from home, will not be a

To provide additional support for front line workers fighting COVID-19, the Ontario government is now providing a temporary pandemic pay of $4/hour worked on top of their regular wages. In addition, the government will be providing monthly lump sum payments of $250 for four months to eligible frontline workers who work over 100 hours per month.

What if your commercial landlord is inflexible and uncooperative and refuses to participate in the new Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program, reducing your monthly commercial rent in April, May and June, 2020 to a maximum of 25%? CKL businesses leasing commercial property from an inflexible landlord, and which cannot afford to pay ongoing commercial

Zoom remains popular for video conferencing during the pandemic. Zoom has made security upgrades after the initial controversy. Here are eight additional tips to achieve better Zoom security and management for your vide conferencing: [1] Use a password: – only participants with the meeting ID and password may join in – remove the password from

Due to the pandemic, the surge in work-from-home arrangements has caused strain and pressure on information technology (“IT”) providers. Internet broadband providers, cloud-based businesses and virtual private network operators (“VPN”s) may be unable to keep pace with the new IT requirements for their clients’ businesses (collectively, “IT Providers”). The result may be business interruption, additional

The federal Government announced today it will in partnership with the Ontario government implement the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (“CECRA”) for small businesses in the City of Kawartha Lakes:  commercial rent is reduced by 75% for small businesses affected by COVID-19 [i.e., businesses paying less than $50,000 per month in rent and who have

Both regrettably and predictably, racism and discrimination appear to be surging with the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Credible sources now report that xenophobia, racially-motivated acts of discrimination and harassment towards ethnic groups is increasing. Through public messaging by some, including the President of the United States, COVID-19 has been referred to as the “Chinese” and the

April 22 – The federal Government announced new financial aid to students – they can now claim a new Canada Emergency Student Benefit (“CESB”). Under the CESB, eligible post-secondary students could receive $1,250 monthly from May to August. If that student is also taking care of someone else or has a disability, that amount increases