Notice to Employees Regarding Emergency Leave

________
________

________

Via email

RE : Notice to all employees regarding Emergency Leave (Covid-19)

*Note that the masculine is used as neutral to lighten the text.

Dear Employees,

As some of you may know, Canadian unions have called on the federal, provincial and territorial governments to provide immediate income assistance to workers affected by quarantine and closures due to Covid-19. In addition, they have called on employers to allow flexible work hours and paid sick leave while maintaining medical coverage.

We are sending you this notice to inform you of some of the most important provisions regarding days of leave and new regulations regarding Covid-19.

If you have any questions, please contact your immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Manager.

1. General Information

Unless otherwise specified in the collective agreement or in the employee's contract of employment, none of the measures adopted to date require employers to pay employees while on leave related to Covid-19 under a job protection provision.

However, the Employment Standards Code of Alberta states that an employee is entitled to five (5) unpaid days of leave per year due to illness or family responsibilities after 90 days of employment with the same employer.

• Covid-19: The Government of Alberta has introduced a Covid-19 leave which ensures that employees can take up to fourteen (14) days of unpaid leave without fear for their employment in the event that they are required to isolate or to take care of a child or dependent adult in isolation due to Covid-19.

2. Pension and Group Insurance Plans

In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the processing of pension plan members during a temporary layoff will be assessed in accordance with labour standards legislation and the provisions included in the current collective agreement.

However, the rules regarding days of leave differ according to the length of the leave and the terms of the leave arrangements between the employee and the employer. The fact that the employee is absent may or may not require the employee to continue to contribute to the pension and group insurance plan.

As soon as you intend to take an extended leave of absence, please contact your immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Manager to review and comply with the rules that are in effect regarding the pension and group insurance plans within the company.

3. Right to Refuse to Work

The applicable Occupational Health and Safety Act states that employees have the right to refuse work or perform a particular duty in the workplace if the employee reasonably believes that performing the task could be a danger.

________ undertakes to comply with the health and safety rules. If you have any concerns about your occupational health and safety due to Covid-19, please contact your immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Manager to ensure that appropriate action is taken to address your concerns.

4. Protection Against Reprisals

________ agrees to avoid taking any action against an employee who is exercising or intends to exercise his right to days of leave due to Covid-19.

• Prohibited actions include: termination, suspension, layoff, demotion and discipline. In addition, ________ is prohibited from taking into account an employee's intention to use Covid-19 or any other medical leave when making decisions regarding promotion and training of the employee.

• Exception: ________ may reassign an employee if, upon return from Covid-19 leave or other medical leave, the employee is unable to perform the work performed prior to the absence.

5. 2588582 2522282822

52 252 22282222 2582 82582 8252 225 5258228 5285225 22 82885-28, ________ 525228 22 2522 5258225882 2222528 222 22 58888282 82225252822 2552 82585 85222822 252 8258885558 852 22222285882 855825 5 5882 22 255282888822 22 82885-28 882582 252 8222522.

________ 252 2225 22 8288282, 582 525 58888282 22582258 82225252822 22 2528222 252 5882 22 2552828888228. 8282825, 252 2582552 2552282 22 8288282822 2588 82225252822 8888 82 22 2528852 22222285882 2522825 222822228 8825 8522888222 82225252822 22 225882 2522 22 282582 2258858 558882 525, 82 228288552, 252522222.

________ 525228 22 582 252 22582258 82225252822 22 828 222822228 2282 22 2528222 525 525582 252 5882 22 255282888822 22 82885-28 8825252 8558822 52228288552 825288 82 252 825228582.

________ 5282228228 2552 55252 582528 522582 2855882 25255222258 82 252 8222252 22 5 25252288.

6. REMINDERS - Workplace Cleaning and Decontamination

Keep your hands clean:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
• Cough and sneeze into the crease of your arms;
• Avoid touching surfaces that people often touch;
• Instead of shaking hands, wave or nudge your elbow;
• Use all necessary personal protective equipment as directed.

Keep the environment clean:

• Use appropriate products more often to clean and disinfect items such as desks, work surfaces, telephones, keyboards, electronic devices, cash registers, elevator buttons, customer service counters and restaurant tables, especially if they are visibly dirty;
• When they can withstand the use of liquid disinfectant, frequently touched electronic devices such as telephones and computers and other appliances can be disinfected with 70% alcohol;

Keep your distance:

• Keep a distance of two (2) meters between colleagues and clients;
• Increase the distances between desks, tables and workstations;
• Reduce activities that require physical proximity or contact with people, such as team meetings;
• Minimize contact with less than two (2) meters.

7. Additional Information

Since employers are subject to labour standards and employment legislation, leave policies should be considered as temporary additions to existing leave rules.

We will continue to monitor any new information that comes to our attention regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. We intend to keep you informed of all developments and to stay in touch with all of you.

We encourage employees who have concerns to share them with us during this period of uncertainty. We understand that many of you are facing difficult challenges at this time and we want to show you our full support. The best way to do our part is to remain calm and apply best practices, while taking care of each other.

Sincerely,

_______________________________

________, represented by ________