Monday, February 22, 2021

COVID-19 Protocols in the Workplace

We’re all sick of COVID-19. But it’s important to continue to follow protocols for everyone’s safety

By now, we are all tired of dealing with the stress of COVID-19, but this is exacerbated for those of you working on the front lines: in nursing homes, seniors care homes, group homes, and grocery stores. Additional stressors such as constant exposure to the public in retail, balancing care needs, new procedures and paperwork, and dealing with ill residents and clients in nursing, care, and group homes while continuing to try to take care of yourself and your family is no easy task.

It has been over a year now, and even though COVID-19 protocols for workplaces are a bit more standardized and static now than they were a year ago, it is nevertheless just as important that all the required steps are followed to keep everyone as safe as possible. Many workplaces now have sign-in processes where employees have to sign in each day stating that they are feeling healthy and don’t have symptoms, have not been identified as a close contact of a case, and so on.

It is vitally important to answer honestly, not just for obvious health and safety reasons, but also because failure to do so could result in discipline. And no one wants that additional stress!

We also want to remind you that the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) is available for up to four weeks between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021. To be eligible for the CRSB, you must meet all the following conditions for the one-week period you’re applying for. You are unable to work at least 50 percent of your scheduled work week because you’re self-isolating for one of the following reasons:

• You are sick with COVID-19 or may have COVID-19.

• You are advised to self-isolate due to COVID-19.

• You have an underlying health condition that puts you at greater risk of getting COVID-19.

Details and application information are available at canada.ca. Also, the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) is available for those who need to care for a family member as outlined below. To be eligible for the CRCB, you must meet all the following conditions for the one-week period you’re applying for:

• You are unable to work at least 50% of your scheduled work week because you are caring for a family member

• You are caring for your child under 12 years old or a family member who needs supervised care because they are at home for one of the following reasons:

– Their school, daycare, day program, or care facility is closed or unavailable to them due to COVID-19.

– Their regular care services are unavailable due to COVID-19.

– The person under your care is

» sick with COVID-19 or has symptoms of COVID-19;

» at risk of serious health complications if they get COVID-19, as advised by a medical professional;

» self-isolating due to COVID-19.

Details and application information is available at canada.ca.

Additionally, the Alberta government offers support if you must isolate or quarantine and cannot do so safely in your own home. Please see alberta.ca for details.

Please also remember that your workplace employee and family assistance program (EFAP) is available if you want to reach out regarding your mental health.

Thank you so much for your continued dedication to the essential work that you do. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your CLAC representative.

COVID-19 Protocols in the Workplace

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