As Premier Doug Ford recently announced, all construction work sites in Ontario are set to re-open tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
The health and safety of our members remains our top priority. If you have ANY questions or concerns about returning to work in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, please contact your BUC Representative. Having said that, if your Employer contacts you to return to work, you should report to work. If you refuse to report to work, it may be determined that you have “quit” your employment. Note that any employee who “quits” his or her employment is not entitled to receive E.I. or CERB payments.
Again, if your Employer calls you and asks you to return to work, you should report to work. You may wear a mask, gloves, or any other Personal Protective Equipment when you report to work. If you do not have a mask and would like one, please contact your BUC Representative and we will provide you with one. Note that you have the right to ask your Employer to inform you, and show you, any measures they have implemented to protect you against the spread of Covid-19 at the job site.
If you still feel unsafe after you have examined the measures which your Employer has implemented to protect you, please contact your BUC Representative immediately. Your BUC Representative will contact your Employer to discuss your concerns and may call a Ministry of Labour Inspector to investigate the job site to determine if the job site is safe. If a Ministry of Labour Inspector determines that the job site is unsafe, you do not have to return to work until the Employer makes the job site safe. If however, the Ministry of Labour Inspector determines that the job site is safe, you should return to work. If you refuse to return to work at this point, you will likely be considered to have “quit” your employment. As stated, if you are considered to have quit your employment, you will not be eligible for E.I. or CERB payments.
Please call your BUC Representative if you have any questions or concerns about returning to work.
