The Ontario government has announced a new order under the March 17 declaration of emergency to ensure health care resources are available to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
This temporary order would give hospitals the ability to cancel and postpone services to free up space and valuable staff, identify staffing priorities, and develop, modify and implement redeployment plans.
Hospitals will be able to respond to, prevent and alleviate an outbreak of COVID-19 by carrying out measures such as:
– Redeploying staff within different locations in or between facilities of the hospital, redeploying staff to work in COVID-19 assessment centres.
– Changing the assignment of work, including assigning non-bargaining unit employees or contractors to perform bargaining unit work.
– Changing the scheduling of work or shift assignments.
– Deferring or cancelling vacations, absences or other leaves, regardless of whether such vacations, absences or leaves are established by statute, regulation, agreement or otherwise.
– Employing extra part-time or temporary staff or contractors, including for the purpose of performing bargaining unit work.
– Using volunteers to perform work, including to perform bargaining work.
– Providing appropriate training or education as needed to staff and volunteers to achieve the purposes of a redeployment plan.
When utilized by hospitals, these redeployment plans temporarily supersede the provisions of a collective agreement, including lay-off, seniority/service or bumping provisions.
The government says these measures will allow for the redeployment of staff to address the containment of COVID-19 without restriction or delay.
