City of Toronto backs off return-to-office mandate

With some projections forecasting as many as 10,000 daily cases of the new Omicron variant by Christmas, the Province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Keiran Moore, put it on the record that employers should continue to have staff work from home in an effort to curb spread before we reach a tipping point.

City heeds warning on Omicron

It appears as though the City of Toronto has opted to heed this warning, at least for now.  Mere days after insisting that staff would be required to return to in-office work in the New Year the City announced on Monday, December 13^th that the return to office plans are on hold and operations will remain remote.

While City employees can enjoy working in their pajamas for the foreseeable future, Ontario residents as a whole should buckle up for what may be one of the most intense waves of cases yet, as the projections of daily cases more than doubles previous highs, which were in the 4,000s.

WATCH: Lior Samfiru, a Toronto employment lawyer and co-founding Partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLPs joins Global News to answer questions about returning to the office from remote work.

We anticipate that majority of employers who have remained remote until now will defer to the advice of Dr. Moore, particularly in light of the City’s abrupt change of course, which sends a clear signal that things will likely get worse before they get better.

Facing a return to the workplace?

However, if you are required to return to the workplace come January, it is your right to ensure that your employer has proper health and safety protocols in place. While this is your right at all times, it rings particularly true during periods of spiking case counts.  If you have questions or concerns about how your employer is protecting your health as you return to the office, reach out to our team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP for advice.