Ontario law allowing employees to disconnect from technology after hours kicks in

The Canadian Press

Published

1 year ago

2 minute read

TORONTO — Ontario’s right to disconnect policy came into effect Friday. Here’s what you need to know:

What happened?

Late last year, the province enacted Bill 27: Working for Workers Act, 2021, that requires employers with 25 or more people on staff as of Jan. 1, 2022 to have a policy as of Thursday that outlines how they will ensure workers are able to disconnect from the workplace after hours.

What does it mean to disconnect from work?

The Act defines disconnecting from work as “not engaging in work-related communications, including emails, telephone calls, video calls or sending or reviewing other messages, to be free from the performance of work.”

What does this policy mean for employers and employees?

Employers must provide staff with a written copy of the policy.

The policy applies to all employees, including management and executives.

Other details:

Starting in 2023, employers with 25 workers or more will need to have a written policy on disconnecting from work in place before March 1 of that year.

For employers with multiple locations, all workers across locations must be included in the count.

How did we get here?

Inspired by a 2016 law giving workers in France the right to turn off electronic work devices outside of business hours, Canada’s federal government started reviewing labour standards and mulling whether to give workers the right to ignore work-related messages when at home in 2018.

A committee convened last October was expected to analyze the issue and provide then-labour minister Filomena Tassi with recommendations in the spring.

But the province opted not to wait for federal regulations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2022.

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Health

WHO’s Global Digital Health Certification Network

Published on June 8, 2023

Duane Rolheiser

From the youtube channel of Dr. John Campbell

In order to prepare for a future pandemic, the WHO is looking to acquire your personal health information. This week, the World Health Organization and the European Union announced plans for the Global Digital Health Certification Network.

As British Health Researcher Dr. John Campbell explains, the plan is for the Global Digital Health Certificate to monitor the health status of everyone on the planet, and use this information to “facilitate global mobility”. In other words there are plans to use your health status to determine your ability to travel, and to participate in other aspects of regular life.

With notes from the World Health Organization website, Dr. John Campbell explains the WHO’s Global Digital Health Certification Network.

Dr. John Campbell’s Presentation notes:

WHO’s Global Digital Health Certification Network https://www.who.int/initiatives/globa…

WHO has established the Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN). Open-source platform, built on robust & transparent standards, that establishes the first building block of digital public health infrastructure, for developing a wide range of digital products, for strengthening pandemic preparedness

Background Member States used digital COVID-19 test and vaccine certificates As the directing and coordinating authority on international health work, at the onset of the pandemic, WHO engaged with all WHO Regions to define overall guidance for such certificates and published the Digital Documentation of COVID-19 Certificates

https://www.who.int/publications/i/it… https://www.who.int/publications/i/it… there is a recognition of an existing gap, and continued need for a global mechanism, that can support bilateral verification of the provenance of health documents

The GDHCN may include Digitisation of the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, verification of prescriptions across borders

International Patient Summary Verification of vaccination certificates within and across borders Certification of public health professionals (through WHO Academy) Expanding such digital solutions will be essential to deliver better health for people across the globe.

The GDHCN has been designed to be interoperable with other existing regional networks EU-WHO digital partnership https://www.who.int/news/item/05-06-2… • LIVE: WHO and @EU… https://commission.europa.eu/strategy… WHO and the European Commission have agreed to partner in digital health.

This partnership will work to technically develop the WHO system with a staged approach to cover additional use cases, In June 2023, WHO will take up the European Union (EU) system of digital COVID-19 certification to establish a global system, that will help facilitate global mobility

This is the first building block of the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN)

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus WHO aims to offer all WHO Member States access, On the principles of equity, innovation, transparency and data protection and privacy Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

This partnership is an important step for the digital action plan of the EU Global Health Strategy, we contribute to digital health standards and interoperability globally

Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market The EU certificate … has also facilitated international travel and tourism I am pleased that the WHO will build on …. cutting-edge technology … to create a global tool against future pandemics

One of the key elements in the European Union’s work against the COVID-19 pandemic has been digital COVID-19 certificates. WHO will facilitate this process globally under its own structure … allow the world to benefit from convergence of digital certificates. Expanding such digital solutions will be essential to deliver better health for citizens across the globe.

The WHO and the European Commission will work together to encourage maximum global uptake and participation.

Community

Tour the 2023 Red Deer Hospital Home Lottery grand prize dream home

Published on June 6, 2023

Red Deer Regional Health Foundation

Later this month, someone is going to win this 3,049 sq ft beauty, built by Sorento Custom Homes.

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