• April 2: Go2HR is allowing health care workers to post job listings for free, in hopes that hospitality workers can find temporary work during this time. [WEBSITE]
  • March 31: Orders from the provincial health officer (PHO) and guidance to employers and businesses provided by them BC Centre of Disease Control represent the minimum standard that employers must meet, to comply with obligations to ensure worker health and safety. This guide for employers provides questions you should ask to address health and safety concerns in the workplace raised by COVID-19. [WEBSITE]
  • March 24: What employers need to know about temporary layoffs [ARTICLE HERE]
  • March 23: FAQs - Layoffs, Salary, EI & More... - Employment lawyer Daniel Lublin answers frequently asked questions from workers [READ HERE]
  • March 18: Taylor McCaffrey Lawyers answer employer questions when it comes to preparing your employees [READ HERE]
  • Work-Sharing (WS) Program
    • Work-Sharing is an adjustment program designed to help employers and employees avoid layoffs when there is a temporary reduction in the normal level of business activity that is beyond the control of the employer. Temporary special measures have extended the maximum duration of work-Sharing agreements from 38 weeks to 76 weeks for businesses affected by COVID-19 .
  • WorkBC Courtenay is continuing our services during the COVID-19 crisis. They are assisting our job seekers and employers by phone and through internet technology, though their physical doors are closed to in-person service. [CONTACT INFO]
  • Record of Employment: instructions 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).
    • When the employee is sick or quarantined, use code D (Illness or injury) as the reason for separation (block 16). Do not add comments.
    • When the employee is no longer working due to a shortage of work because the business has closed or decreased operations due to coronavirus (COVID-19), use code A (Shortage of work). Do not add comments.
    • When the employee refuses to come to work but is not sick or quarantined, use code E (Quit) or code N (Leave of absence), as appropriate. Avoid adding comments unless absolutely necessary.
  • BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) -[CONTACT INFO]

BC Innovator Skills Initiative (ISI) Grant Program
Your business can receive up to $10,000 a year to #hireaBCstudent in a tech role. The ISI Grant program provides flexibility regarding start times, end dates, and payouts (so long as they meet the $1000 minimum). Lower payouts will be considered as well, depending on circumstances. With this grant, you may hire a student who is working from home / remotely. You DO NOT need to be a tech company to take part in the program - so  long as you are hiring for a tech role. A tech company can hire for a business OR tech role.
[ Program, Eligibility and Application ] [ Program Guidelines ]

Youth Employment & Skills Program (YESP)
Government of Canada enhances Youth Employment and Skills Program to help create new positions for youth in the agriculture sector.

This additional funding will help the agriculture industry attract Canadian youth, ages 15 to 30, to their organizations to assist with labour shortages brought on by the pandemic. This program aims to provide youth, and particularly youth facing barriers to employment, with job experience in agriculture that will provide career-related work experience.

The YESP will provide agriculture employers up to 50 per cent of the cost of hiring a Canadian youth up to $14,000. Indigenous applicants and those applicants hiring a youth facing barriers are eligible for funding of up to 80 per cent of their costs.

Eligible applicants include producers, agri-businesses, industry associations, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous organizations and research facilities. Employers may apply for this funding retroactive to April 1, 2020, with projects to be completed by March 31, 2021.

Application forms are available through the Youth Employment and Skills Program, or to get more information, please contact aafc.yesp-pecj.aac@canada.ca, or call: 1-866-452-5558.