STRICTLY
speaking, from a legal perspec-
tive, there isn't really much of a
difference with the COVID-19 pandemic and
most workplace safety considerations —
employers have an obligation to take all reason-
able precautions to protect employees from the
hazards, says James Jennings, an associate at
Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti in Toronto.
"But, practically speaking, the hazards posed
by COVID-19 are on a whole other scale,"
he says.
"Normally, workplace hazards are something
that arise from the conduct of business itself,
such as moving machinery parts or someone
leaves a bucket on the floor… whereas COVID,
on the other hand, is brought in from outside."
Most employers take health and safety very
seriously, "but this is a dramatically different
situation," says Natalie Fisher, a lawyer at
Sherrard Kuzz in Toronto.
Not only does COVID have an immediate
impact on the health of employees, their families
and customers, it "can also jeopardize an employ-
er's ability to continue operating," she says.
The situation is almost unprecedented when
you think about the safety requirements and
WWW.HRREPORTER.COM ISSUE 34.05.2021
THE NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Understanding 'Zoom fatigue'
Stanford University researchers
have several explanations for
what's behind the fatigue — and
possible fixes
/8
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE…
SILOED AT HOME
While many employees are enjoying
the benefits of working from home,
feelings of isolation and stress might
actually be rising /14
FIRED AFTER COMPLAINT
A B.C. salesperson is dismissed after
she makes a harassment complaint
against her boss — but goes on to win
$24,000 in damages /29
BAD FAITH TERMINATION
What types of employer conduct could
breach the duty to act with good faith
around termination and increase
liability for damages? /30
> pg. 2
In a year chock full of uncertainty, employers have
had to quickly enact and enforce new safety policies.
But a look at recent legal decisions around masking,
employee privacy and compensation suggests their
efforts are paying off, writes Sarah Dobson
Are women losing out?
While employers claim to be focused
on diversity and inclusion, is women's
advancement less of a priority?
/12
Focus on COVID safety
pays off for employers
HR TECH CASE STUDIES
A look at several employers focused
on streamlining their HR processes
/18