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On March 21, 2020, PEI issues a Public Health Order that may impact the operations of some of our members doing interprovincial work. Some relevant information has been included below, but it is not meant to be an exhaustive list. To read the full Public Health order, please click here.

• Construction workers coming into PEI should be coming in for essential construction projects only. (These workers are considered exempt from self-isolation requirements),
• However, when not at work, they must follow the self-isolation protocol,
• It is important that those workers self-monitor for symptoms such as a new cough, fever and difficulty breathing,
• The project foreman should also be reviewing their employee illness protocols and enhancing the cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces around the construction site and workplace vehicles. 

Regardless of exemptions, while some construction projects are considered essential, the advice shared around the country is to practice social distancing, proper hygiene and frequent handwashing, no matter who you are or where you live. Work should only continue while it is safe and reasonable to do so.

Please note: All in-person Service Canada Centres are closed to the public. Service Canada call centres are open and agents are available to assist with critical services. Call volumes are expected to be high for the foreseeable future. Please visit Canada.ca for information. If you have difficulty getting through, please try again later.

EI Updates (For Individuals) —

The online EI application (Appliweb) has been updated to include additional reasons that individuals can choose from for separation options. The following changes have been made in response to the question “Why are you no longer working?”

• Shortage of work option:  Now indicates “includes closure due to COVID-19” in the explanation.
• Sick Leave option:  Now includes “quarantine” in the explanation.

Need more help? Clients can call the 1-800 for urgent requests or submit a request via their online channel (https://www.canada.ca/en/service-canada/e-service.html) 

ROE Updates (For Employers) —

If your employees are directly affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) and they are no longer working, you must issue a Record of Employment (ROE). These are one of the key pieces of information needed for the automated claims processing system. Without this from the employer, it will delay individuals’ claims.

• When completing ROE for those off-work due to COVID-19, please use the following codes, (in relation to Box 16 – Reason for Separation)
  • When the Employee is sick or quarantined: Code D (illness or Injury)
  • When the Employee stops working due to shortage of work or shutdown due to COVID-19: Code A (Shortage of Work)
  • When the Employee is not sick or quarantined but not working due to other reasons related to COVID-19: Code E (Quit) or Code N (Leave of Absence)
• IMPORTANT: add comments only when required. Doing so causes the ROE to be pulled from the automatic processing queue for manual review. 

Need more help? Contact Service Canada’s Employer Contact Centre (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/contact/employer-contact-center.html)

For more information about Service Canada updates related to COVID-19, please click here.

The Prime Minister’s Office announced new support for small businesses affected by COVID-19. Some of these include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing the wage subsidy from 10% to 75%,
• Allowing businesses, including self-employed, to defer all GST and HST payments until June,
• Launching the new Canada Emergency Benefit Account,
• Launching the new Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Load and Guarantee Program. 

Click here to read the full release from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Please find linked below a response provided by Duff Montgomery, Deputy Minister, LAE addressing clarifications sought by CANS on our members’ behalf. These responses were developed in collaboration with TIR, Department of Health and Communications NS.

Click HERE to access the answers to your FAQs. 

As is noted, this is a rapidly evolving situation and they are subject to change, but we highly recommend acting accordingly.

To further clarify the construction industry’s exemptions under special measures in the Health Protection Order, the government has stated that:

·      Construction sites will be permitted to have more than 5 individuals working at a time,

·      The 14-day self-isolation for individuals crossing the provincial border will not apply to construction workers or trades.

Please note that officers at the border will provide individuals that are essential with a chit. This paper can be displayed on your dash so that you can bypass lineups at the border.