Physical distancing. Ensuring adequate distance among employees, customers and other third parties through adjusting workspaces, designing dedicated customer traffic flow, adjusting seating arrangements, and so on. This may require reduced numbers of employees or customers permitted into a space at a given time.

Managing high-contact surfaces. Limiting the extent to which surfaces are touched by many employees or customers in the workplace. This may require restricting the touching of such surfaces, preventing sharing and, most importantly, frequent cleaning. Solutions include providing employees with personal tools and equipment, limiting customer browsing of retail items and no-touch payment methods.

Personal protective equipment (PPE). Providing masks, gloves or other infection control equipment to employees, customers or both. This is particularly necessary where physical distancing is not possible, as in hair salons and barbershops, aesthetic services, and medical or paramedical services.

Preventative scheduling. Timing the operations of the business to minimize the exposure of employees or customers to each other or to the public generally. For example, employers may schedule employees to arrive at staggered start times to minimize crowding in entrance ways or elevators. Employers may allow employees to work earlier or later to avoid crowding on public transit. Businesses may extend hours to allow vulnerable customers access at times when the general public is not permitted entry to the premises.

Screening. Requiring employees, customers and other third parties to disclose whether they are currently ill, or whether they have elevated risk factors for COVID-19 infection, such as recent travel outside Canada or contact with an infected individual. This may take the form of self-assessments or temperature screening. More rigorous screening may be required in workplaces with high traffic or high-touch surfaces where potential for spread of infection is high or where the persons in a workplace are uniquely susceptible to infection, as in a healthcare setting.

Training. Instructing employees and non-employee workers on proper hygiene and sanitation practices, including hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquette, surface cleaning, and specialized protocols for the specific work employees conduct. Employees should also understand that they are not to report to work while showing symptoms of COVID-19 or after being exposed to risk factors. Training is essential in all workplaces.

Practice Note, Reopening the Workplace After Mandatory Closure: Infection Controls.

Practice Note, Infectious Disease Outbreaks and the Workplace: Safety Precautions.

Practice Note, Infectious Disease Screening.

Standard Document, Physical Distancing Policy.

Maximum layoff duration. Several jurisdictions have changed the maximum layoff periods permitted before a layoff is deemed to be a termination of employment. These extended layoff periods are intended to avoid the deemed termination of many employees laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers who utilize layoffs during the pandemic should review statutory and common law rules to avoid employee claims for wrongful dismissal. See Practice Note, Constructive Dismissal (Layoffs), Practice Note, Layoffs (Minimum Standards) and Reference Chart: COVID-19 Employment Initiatives and Legislative Changes.

New minimum standards leaves. Most jurisdictions have adopted or expanded leaves of absence dedicated to employee absence due to COVID-19. These leaves may be used for a wide variety of reasons, including the need to self-isolate or quarantine, employee illness, or the need to care for children whose schools or daycares have been closed due to COVID-19. For a summary of these leaves, see either the "Leaves of Absence" section of Reference Chart: COVID-19 Employment Initiatives and Legislative Changes or Reference Chart: Leaves Overview.

Increase in family status accommodation requests. In addition to statutory leaves aimed at family care, employers must accommodate employee requests for accommodation that relate to care for children, elderly family members or other dependents who are the under the care of the employee. Such care obligations may arise during the pandemic as schools or daycares remain closed, or where elder care services are restricted in availability. See Practice Note, Family Status Discrimination.

Increase in work refusals. Employees have the right to reasonably refuse unsafe work, and employers must investigate those refusals. Employers may see an increase in such refusals as employees are called back to work, or where employees perceive that some job duties may expose them to COVID-19. See Practice Note, COVID-19: Employment FAQs: Can an employee refuse to perform work that could expose them to COVID-19? and Can an employee refuse to attend the workplace due to fears about COVID-19 in the workplace?

Remote Work. Employees returning to work after working at home may request continuation of their remote status. Employers may need to adopt a permanent policy on the subject to formalize employer expectations and employee duties. See Standard Document, Remote Work Policy and Remote Work Best Practices Checklist.

Involvement of stakeholders. Involve the workplace joint health and safety committee and union (if any) in the development of a plan.

A hazard assessment. Assess where COVID-19 risks might emerge in the workplace.

Infection control measures. Address identified COVID-19 risks with appropriate controls.

Policies addressing workplace impacts of COVID-19. These include protocols for responding to reports of infected individuals in the workplace, as well as any physical distancing, accommodation, remote work or other measures judged necessary.

Communications and training. An outline of the program to be implemented to keep employees up to date on risks and mandatory practices in the workplace.