The recent announcements from the Provincial and Federal government have talked a lot about “protected leave” for workers who are affected by the COVID-19 Virus. So what does that actually mean?

The term means that a worker has the right to take the leave, without any penalty such as being dismissed or punished for taking the time off, and is entitled to return to their pre-leave job without any changes to that job.

The “right” of the worker in this case is protected by legislation (law) such as the Employment Standards Act (ESA), Human Rights Code, and the Federal Labour Code (which applies to federal government employees; banks; air, rail and international truck transportation; and telecommunications).

Unfortunately, it does not provide any pay. Workers who are on a protected leave can apply to Employment Insurance (EI) but of course the amount of financial help depends on the worker’s insured hours and contributions.

Stay tuned for updates on how COVID-19 is affecting the Employment World