Author name: jonkersdw

Canada’s “Work-Sharing” program is an adjustment program, which may offer relief and an alternative to employers financially impacted by COVID-19, including those experiencing a slow down in business, but who continue to operate at some level. The program is intended to assist employers to avoid layoffs, particularly during this pandemic, if the employer experiences a […]

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

The Superior Court has affirmed that separated and divorced co-parents must work cooperatively, flexibly and together to parent children during this unprecedented crisis.  The Family Court in this, and every other Ontario, jurisdiction is closed, except that only urgent and emergency matters will be considered, despite the extraordinarily strained judicial resources available currently.  We have written

During the COVID-19 pandemic, what happens when a person in Ontario becomes disabled or incapacitated due to the virus, to the extent that the person cannot make decisions about his or her own health care or treatment?  In short, someone else is authorized or appointed to make those decisions for the incapacitated person, subject to

The federal Government continues to develop and change employment insurance benefits during this pandemic.  Here is a list of the employment insurance (EI) benefits available to you for emergency financial support, as of March 25, 2020: EXISTING – REGULAR EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE: EI regular benefits provides benefits to individuals who lose their jobs through no fault

The COVID-19 pandemic requires urgent communication, co-operation and flexibility between separated and divorced co-parents. Both co-parents and their child(ren) must isolate at home, like everyone else. This may require adjustments to existing parenting orders or arrangements.  Please refer to our earlier article regarding advice and guidance to separated parents during this pandemic here: https://wardlegal.ca/31582887996602   In the meantime,

Generally, business interruption insurance is part of first-party commercial property insurance. Usually, the insurer agrees to pay to, or reimburse, the business owner for the actual loss of business income the business experienced because of the interruption to the business itself, including while the business if being restored, when the interruption was caused by direct physical loss, damage,

The Ontario Government has ordered the mandatory closure of all non-essential workplaces, effective March 24, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. This order will be in effect for fourteen days with the possibility of being extended as the circumstances evolve. Here is a list of “essential workplaces” in Ontario, as declared: ttps://s3.amazonaws.com/files.news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/list-of-essential-workplaces-2.html For the purposes of this

Due the shutdown of non-essential workplaces, effective March 24, 2020, many employers will be considering temporarily laying off employees, at those employers who do not qualify as “essential workplaces”. This is not a risk-fee, easy-to-do step by an employer, despite the catastrophic circumstances. Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”) allows employers to invoke a

Employees in Ontario are protected by Ontario's Human Rights Code (the "Code") in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, those protections include:  – it is discriminatory to treat employees who have, or are perceived to have, contracted COVID-19, in a negative manner, for reasons unrelated to public health and safety; – employers have a duty to accommodate employees