5. Managing COVID-19-Related Employee Issues

Management of quarantine, childcare and medical leave for employees affected by COVID-19.

• Employees who are on medical leave or on home quarantine orders due to COVID-19 should be treated as being on paid medical leave leave, as part of the employee’s medical leave eligibility under their employment contracts, collective agreements, or under the Employment Act.
• Where employees have used up their paid medical leave benefits, employers are encouraged to consider providing medical coverage as the employee concerned may face financial hardship during this time.
• Employees who fear infection and refuse to work.

Employers must:

• As far as reasonably practicable, allow natural ventilation of the workplace during working hours.
• Take temperature of every individual entering the workplace and check if they have any specified symptoms.
• Collect contact details of individuals entering the workplace.
• Refuse entry to febrile individuals or individuals who display any specified symptoms or who refuse to comply with temperature taking or provide their contact details.
• Implement safe distancing measures
• Ensure febrile individuals or individuals who display specified symptoms:
  • Wear a face mark;
  • Leave the workplace immediately; or
  • If not possible to leave immediately, isolate the individual.

Please refer to the section 6 regarding teleworking above. Generally, employees should not be expected to report  to work unless teleworking is not an option.

Disclosure of employees who are infected.

Employees or other individuals who are (i) febrile; or (ii) have any specified symptoms must not enter the workplace.

Where an employee is feeling unwell, is febrile or has any specified symptoms, this should be reported to the employer. The employer should leave the workplace and consult a doctor immediately. Employers must track and record these cases of illness as part of their Safe Management Measures.