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  • vickyp
    Keymaster
    Post count: 4922
    Forum: Community

    In March sent out emails banning business travel and non essential travel. With employees coming back to work in Sept we have implemented new polices and a sections stating to avoid any unnecessary travel and notifying Management of their travel plans both business and pleasure. The government changes rules and as for now if anyone travels by plan within Canada does not have to be self isolate but to have to self monitor. We as a company do not want to take risks with our staff. We want to have these employees who travel on planes to take a few extra days off to self monitor. If we do this do we have to pay the employees or can we just tell them to take unpaid days or paid vacation days. They choose to fly.

    vickyp
    Keymaster
    Post count: 4922

    Great Qs. First, unless I missed something in the past 48 hours, the 14-day self-isolation rule continues to apply to plane travel within Canada. There are some local bubbles, e.g., the Atlantic Provinces, but I haven’t heard anything about the new self-monitor vs. self-isolate change.
    Under current rules, you must let employees who travel by plane take unpaid leave but DON’T have to pay them, unless your collective agreements, employment contracts or benefits plans require otherwise. I believe this would still be the rule even if public guidance HAS changed and self-isolation is no longer required. There would have to be an actual ESA law providing for pay, the way there was for COVID leave. And that law would have to come from your province, BC–unless you’re federally regulated.
    As always, you need to keep in mind that this is just an opinion and not legal counsel. But I think what you’re doing is fine. Hope this helps. Glenn

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