{"id":155747,"date":"2023-04-11T18:22:37","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T18:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shrm.org\/resourcesandtools\/hr-topics\/global-hr\/pages\/ontario-paid-idel-end.aspx"},"modified":"2023-04-11T18:22:37","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T18:22:37","slug":"ontario-paid-infectious-disease-emergency-leave-has-ended","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/squarehr.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/11\/ontario-paid-infectious-disease-emergency-leave-has-ended\/","title":{"rendered":"Ontario: Paid Infectious Disease Emergency Leave Has Ended"},"content":{"rendered":"

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?Employers in Ontario should take note that paid infectious disease emergency leave (IDEL) ended on March 31, but unpaid IDEL continues for eligible employees.<\/p>\n

Paid IDEL<\/a> was one of many legislative measures passed by the Ontario government during the pandemic in an effort to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Briefly, paid IDEL allowed employers to provide eligible employees with their regular wages (up to CAN $200 per day) for up to three days for certain absences related to COVID-19, and to subsequently seek reimbursement through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. Initially, access to paid IDEL was set to expire on Sept. 25, 2021, but it has been extended on several occasions throughout the pandemic, most recently until March 31.<\/p>\n

The government of Ontario recently released its 2023 Budget<\/a>. Notably, the budget revealed that access to paid IDEL would not be subject to any further extensions. It therefore ended on March 31, as currently stipulated in O. Reg. 288\/20: Infectious Disease Emergency Leave<\/a> (the “Regulation”) under the Employment Standards Act (ESA), and employees will no longer enjoy access to paid IDEL beyond that date.<\/p>\n

Unpaid IDEL<\/p>\n

It is important to note that despite the end of paid IDEL, unpaid IDEL does continue to remain available to eligible employees for as long as COVID-19 continues to be designated as an infectious disease pursuant to the Regulation. More specifically, unpaid IDEL will remain available when an employee will not be performing the duties of their position because of one or more of the following reasons related to COVID-19:<\/p>\n