Under the Employment Standards Act (ESA), Employers must provide an “unpaid eating period of at least 30 minutes” for Employees working more than 5 consecutive hours. The Employer is not required to pay an employee for the eating period if work is not being performed unless the employment …
Doctor's Notes and Sick Leave
Accommodating Non-Vaccinated Staff
The “hot topic” right now is mandatory vaccination for workers, particularly those in “close-contact” settings such as health or personal care, food service, and education. We know that some people either will not, or can not, get a vaccine. How do we manage that in the workplace? Medical …
HR Files: Attendance Management in the COVID-19 Era
In the newest episode of The HR Files, I discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has really changed the landscape for employers when it comes to managing attendance at work. Surprisingly, the changes offer employers an opportunity to revisit and update their Attendance Management Policies and take …
The Truth About “Mandatory Vaccines”
There is a lot of talk these days around "mandatory vaccine policies" at workplaces. While this is completely understandable, it's actually a very complicated topic that must be assessed according to the needs of the workplace. There may be some requirements for persons who work in private …
Is There an Acceptable Temperature Range for Workplaces?
Summer weather is predicted to be above normal this year. What are the heat and temperature levels for workplaces? There are no set minimum or maximum temperatures for most workplaces. Nevertheless, because either extreme heat or cold may be a hazard, temperature is a legitimate issue in …