The current situation is causing a lot of upheaval within companies. It’s important to be aware of your rights and obligations as an employer with regard to the impact of the COVID-19 virus. Here are a few things you should know about compensating your employees during a pandemic.
1. How many hours must I work to qualify for employment insurance?
The mandatory minimum number of hours worked varies between 420 and 700 hours. This number of hours is determined according to your economic region. For employers in the Greater Montreal, Hull, Montérégie, Trois Rivières and Centre du Québec regions, the minimum number of hours is 700.
2. What is the minimum and maximum number of weeks of benefits to which you are entitled?
The maximum number of benefit weeks varies between 14 and 45 weeks, depending on your economic region and the number of hours you work. For employers in the above-mentioned regions, the minimum number of benefit weeks is 14 and the maximum is 36. To reach the 36-week maximum (in the Greater Montreal area), you must have worked 1,820 hours.
3. Do I have to give notice or compensation to employees I am currently laying off?
Employers are not required to offer notice or compensation to employees laid off for less than six months.
However, employers are generally required to offer notice or compensation to employees who are laid off for more than six months.
However, the employer is exempt from this obligation in cases of force majeure. It is reasonable to believe that COVID-19 is a force majeure situation. However, it is important to be able to prove that the layoff is due to COVID.
4. Can my employee take maternity, paternity or parental leave early? (RQAP)
- Maternity leave: Maternity leave can be taken at the worker’s discretion before or after the expected date of delivery.
- Paternity leave: Must begin, at the earliest, the week of the child’s birth.
- Parental leave: May begin, at the earliest, the week of the child’s birth.
Need more information? We invite you to consult this page.
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