Impact of COVID-19 restrictions lifting on employees across Ontario

Interview Summary

Vaccine mandates for federal employees have been lifted across the country as well as other various COVID-19 public health restrictions. For many employees and employers, this has meant a return to normalcy in the workplace and recovery of their basic employment rights. What will this latest scale back of health restrictions mean for employees who were put on leave?

Alex Lucifero, an Ottawa employment lawyer and managing Partner at Samfiru Tumarking LLP spoke with CTV News Ottawa’s Matt Skube to answer this question and more.

Interview Notes

• Lifting of vaccine mandates for federally regulated employees: Many employees that were unvaccinated will be recalled back to work. It is important to note that there are federal employees who are unionized and should look to their union for legal representation if they are not called back to work. Federally regulated employees who are not part of a union were never part of a government mandate if not part of the travel industry. Employees in these positions will now have a stronger claim for their severance pay.
• Giving notice to employees returning to the office: Employers need to give employees reasonable notice, and as much notice as possible for employees in order to prepare to return to the office. Employers do have the right to recall employees back to the office if working from home was a temporary measure as a result of the pandemic.