COVID-19 Developments and Legal Updates
We are committed to providing you with the latest COVID-19 regulatory initiatives and government programs, and how these developments can impact you and your business. Our real-time updates in areas such as business, labour & employment, litigation and tax, offer valuable legal insights and summaries that will help inform what you need to do for business continuity, to protect your employees, to meet your contractual and regulatory obligations, and to re-open with the ease of government restrictions.
Our longstanding dedication to practice innovation means we are prepared to navigate unforeseen circumstances like these. With our innovative tools and project management methodologies, we continue to deliver uncompromised service to our clients while working in a remote environment.
We are here to help you think: forward when you need it most.
Grant Machum, ICD.D and Mark Tector 2020 was a challenging year for many people and businesses. And while we are all happy to have 2020 in the rearview mirror, we anticipate that there will continue to be challenges going forward, including in employment law. Below are five legal questions we expect employers will have in 2021, along…
Read More2020 brought us all challenges that have been unprecedented in our time. The COVID-19 global pandemic has impacted us in ways that were unimaginable. As Atlantic Canada navigated the challenges of changing worlds, and workplaces, a number of important legal developments appeared, that regional employers should be aware of as they plan for the year…
Read MoreKatharine Mack The federal government has recently announced a series of changes to be made to benefit programs rolled out in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The extension or expansion of these benefits and support measures will be welcome news for employers and employees alike as they continue to navigate the economic consequences of the…
Read MoreHarold M. Smith, QC and G. John Samms Effective Monday, August 24, 2020, an order directing the mandatory wearing of masks, pursuant to the Public Health and Protection Act and the Special Measures Orders made thereunder comes into effect. We hereafter refer to this order as the “Mandatory Mask Order”. The original Mandatory Mask Order,…
Read MoreMurray Murphy, QC, CPHR and Kate Jurgens Three new bills have been introduced in the most recent sitting of the Prince Edward Island legislature. In the employment setting Bill 38 aims to address the prevalence of emergency leave in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, while Bill 114 address protections to be provided…
Read MoreRuth Trask and John Samms Newfoundland and Labrador employers who continued operations this spring during Alert Levels 4 and 5 of the COVID-19 pandemic should take note of a new program offered by the provincial government that may provide extra wage supports. The federal government pledged up to $3 billion in support to increase the…
Read MoreTwila Reid and John Samms On Friday, June 12, 2020, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced it has extended the time period under section 50 of the Labour Standards Act (“the Act”) that converts a temporary layoff into a permanent termination. The Order doubles the amount of time a person may be considered to…
Read More*Flowchart below last updated June 2, 2020 (Originally published April 14, 2020) Dante Manna With the passing of Bill C-14, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, No. 2 on April 11, 2020, the federal government has now laid a legislative foundation for various initiatives to assist employers and employees who are affected by COVID-19. The main…
Read MoreChad Sullivan and Clarence Bennett As many employers resume operations during the ongoing pandemic, we have prepared a list of FAQs and a reopening checklist for businesses operating in Atlantic Canada. Do employers need to have a written plan for reopening? Some provinces have made it mandatory to develop a COVID-19 operational plan before reopening.…
Read MoreRuth Trask On a typical, “normal” day in many Canadian households, adults leave home to go to work, and kids attend school or perhaps daycare. As we keep hearing, though, these are far from “normal” times. StatsCan reports that some five million Canadians worked from home during April, including 3.3 million who did not work…
Read More