Short-term layoffs could be a essential aspect of working a enterprise in Canada. Employers confronted with a scarcity in accessible work may have to scale back staffing within the quick time period to manage prices, with the aim of preserving jobs in the long run.
Short-term layoffs are widespread in some industries and uncommon in others. They could be pushed by cyclical adjustments in enterprise demand or extraordinary occasions just like the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of the motive, employers ought to pay attention to relevant legal guidelines earlier than taking this step. This authorized replace critiques the legal guidelines relevant to non permanent layoffs, with explicit consideration to guidelines in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and the federal sector.
What’s a “non permanent layoff”?
Employment requirements statutes throughout Canada present for “non permanent layoffs.” These allow an employer to serve an worker off work for a restricted time period, usually with out terminating the employment relationship. The worker usually shouldn’t be entitled to pay through the layoff interval. In impact, the employment relationship is paused.
The employer can recall the worker again to work at any time earlier than the top of the statutory layoff interval. If the worker is recalled inside this time interval, then the employment relationship usually continues and, in most jurisdictions, termination entitlements usually are not owed. Typically, if the worker shouldn’t be recalled inside this time interval, the employment relationship is deemed to be terminated, and any termination entitlements (beneath statute, widespread legislation, or contract) could also be owing.
Employers needs to be conscious that statutory non permanent layoff provisions can, in sure circumstances, get replaced by the phrases of the employment contract or collective settlement. Particularly, if the contract or settlement consists of layoff phrases that supply a “larger proper or profit” than the minimal necessities set out within the statutory layoff provisions, then that contract or settlement will prevail.
Why ought to employers take into account non permanent layoffs?
Short-term layoffs could go well with the enterprise wants of employers for quite a lot of causes, together with as a result of they cut back payroll prices whereas, usually, preserving the employment relationship. A laid-off worker could also be eligible to gather employment insurance coverage (EI), which means the employer’s workforce could also be eligible to obtain some alternative earnings whereas ready to return to work.
What dangers are related to non permanent layoffs?
Short-term layoffs usually are not with out danger. Particularly, although layoffs are permitted beneath statute, they’re usually thought of a “constructive dismissal” at widespread legislation, which means workers can deal with a layoff as a termination of their employment. In that state of affairs an worker can declare statutory, contractual and/or widespread legislation termination entitlements.
Nevertheless, exterior of Quebec, Canadian courts and adjudicators have held that employers and workers can expressly or impliedly conform to the employer’s proper to implement layoffs in employment contracts, collective agreements, office insurance policies or accepted trade apply. If that categorical or implied settlement exists, the employer can implement layoffs topic to statutory layoff guidelines with out triggering a termination.
Employers also needs to be aware of group termination legal guidelines within the provinces they function in, as these could also be triggered if a threshold variety of workers are laid off inside an outlined timeframe (which varies by province).
What ought to an employer do earlier than implementing non permanent layoffs?
Earlier than implementing non permanent layoffs an employer ought to:
- Guarantee it has the contractual proper to position workers on layoff.
- Guarantee deliberate layoffs will adjust to related statutory guidelines.
The charts beneath set out a few of the key statutory layoff guidelines relevant to provincially regulated employers in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and to federally regulated employers all through Canada.
In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic every of those jurisdictions adopted extra versatile layoffs guidelines for layoffs that had been pandemic associated. Some jurisdictions have now repealed these COVID-19 layoff guidelines. The place they’re nonetheless in place they’re listed beneath.
Key concerns: layoffs in BC, Alberta, Ontario and federally
| Jurisdiction | When does a layoff start? Is the employer required to offer discover? | What’s the most layoff interval? |
| Ontario |
There is no such thing as a statutory requirement for discover of non permanent layoff. Staff are deemed to be on layoff in any week the place they earn lower than half of what they might earn at their common price in an everyday work week. If workers do not need a “common work week” their earnings over the 12 weeks previous to the start of the layoff interval are averaged to find out what they might usually earn in per week. Staff usually are not thought of to be on layoff throughout weeks when they aren’t accessible to work, they’re topic to disciplinary suspension or they aren’t supplied with work resulting from a strike or lock-out. |
As much as 13 weeks in any consecutive 20-week interval or Up to 35 weeks in any consecutive 52-week interval, if any one among plenty of enumerated situations are met. These situations embody (however are word restricted to):
or Within the case of unionized workers, a interval of greater than 35 weeks in any 52-week interval the place the employer remembers the worker throughout the time set out in an settlement between the employer and union. Between March 1, 2020, and July 30, 2022, any discount or elimination of a non-unionized worker’s hours of labor for causes associated to COVID-19 usually are not thought of a short lived layoff, and are as an alternative handled as an indefinite “Declared Emergencies and Infectious Illness Emergencies Go away.” |
| Jurisdiction | When does a layoff start? Is the employer required to offer discover? | What’s the most layoff interval? |
| British Columbia |
There is no such thing as a statutory requirement for discover of non permanent layoff. Staff are deemed to be on layoff in any week the place they earn lower than half of what they might earn at their common wage in an everyday work week (averaged over the earlier 8 weeks). |
As much as 13 weeks in any interval of 20 consecutive weeks, or, for an worker who has a proper of recall beneath a collective settlement, throughout the specified interval within the collective settlement beneath which the worker has a proper to be recalled. |
| Jurisdiction | When does a layoff start? Is the employer required to offer discover? | What’s the most layoff interval? |
| Alberta |
To keep away from a termination of employment an employer should present an worker with written layoff discover that:
|
Typically, 90 days inside a 120-day interval Nevertheless, that interval might be prolonged if:
If an worker is laid off for causes associated to COVID-19 the utmost layoff interval is 90 days in a 180-day interval. This prolonged layoff interval will apply till repealed by the Alberta authorities. |
| Jurisdiction | When does a layoff start? Is the employer required to offer discover? | What’s the most layoff interval? |
| Federal |
Discover of a short lived layoff shouldn’t be usually required. Nevertheless, discover to the worker is required for non permanent layoffs exceeding three months, if the employer remembers the worker inside six months from the primary day of the layoff. In that case, the recall date have to be included within the discover despatched to workers. |
Typically, three months or much less. Nevertheless, the layoff could exceed three months if: a) It’s a results of a strike or lockout; b) It is 12 months or much less and necessary beneath a minimal work assure in a collective agreements; c) The employer offers the worker discover of layoff and a set interval of layoff or a set date of recall inside six months of the beginning of the layoff, and the employer in truth remembers the worker inside that interval. d) The time period of the layoff is greater than three months and:
e) It is greater than three, however lower than 12, months and the worker maintains recall rights pursuant to a collective settlement. |
Layoff legal guidelines are distinctive in every jurisdiction in Canada. There are different points associated to layoffs along with these listed above, together with procedures for recalling workers to work. To make sure layoffs are performed appropriately employers ought to seek the advice of with authorized counsel with experience in employment and labor issues in addition to the jurisdiction through which the layoffs are to be performed.
