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  • Photo: "6 feet" by artnoose is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Amid fears over corona virus and declarations of emergency, many employers moved away from physical workplaces, toward either requiring employees to work remotely from home, or allowing employees to take leaves of absence. British Columbia’s state of emergency has now been...

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As we enter phase 2 of the British Columbia government’s announced “restart plan,” to gradually re-open businesses and ease restrictions, it is interesting to think about what legal authority is being used to make temporary emergency based legal changes amid...

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What legal framework governs B.C.’s response to covid-19?   The Emergency Program Act  (EPA), passed in 1993, is the principal legislation for responding to disasters and emergencies in British Columbia. If the Minster of Public Safety, or the entire cabinet, is satisfied...

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  • Photo: "Coronavirus Research" by danielfoster437 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
In March, 2020, concerns began to mount over covid-19. We heard that certain group gatherings resulted in outbreaks of the virus. Some of these events involved health care professionals.  An Alberta outbreak was traced to an Edmonton curling bonspiel. More than...

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  • Photo: "Canadian Flag" by Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine is licensed under CC0 1.0
Most employees fall under provincial employment standards legislation. However, if your employer is federally regulated, the Canada Labour Code (CLC) applies. Federally regulated businesses include banks, telecommunication companies, and transportation companies that cross provincial boundaries.   The CLC now includes a...

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  • Photo: "Corona Virus" by danielfoster437 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act (ESA) has been amended in response to concerns regarding covid-19.  The amendments are now in effect. They include two new job protected unpaid leaves of absence: a covid-19 related leave; and an unpaid illness or injury leave. BC’s...

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  • Photo: courtesy of creative commons, Cemetery 011
“Moot” is commonly used to mean “hypothetical.”  Whether a case is legally "moot" or not is a narrower question than common usage may suggest.  It is a question which may, depending on the case, require some analysis. The framework for determining whether...

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  • Photo: "response" is licensed under CC0 1.0
Liquor and cannabis stores remain open.   The list of essential services seems to be about a mile long. Amid all the concern about coronavirus, covid-19, even dollar stores are open. Lawyers are considered an “essential service.”  By definition, this includes the judiciary. Why,...

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