First Published: November 9, 2022
Last Updated: February 27, 2025
Exposure to COVID-19
If you are sick and unable to work:
- Regular employees (both full-time and part-time) can use the Short-Term Sickness Plan to cover absences away from the workplace.
- Fixed-term employees use attendance credits.
If you have symptoms or tested positive, but are feeling well enough to work and want to work, you should:
- Inform your manager, and
- Discuss working from home until all of the following apply:
- your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if you had nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea),
- you do not have a fever, and
- you do not develop any additional symptoms.
When your symptoms are improving but you are within 10 days of when they first appeared, the following can provide protection against the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses circulating in the community:
- wearing a well-fitted mask in all public settings
- avoiding non-essential activities where you need to take off your mask
- avoiding non-essential visits to anyone who is immunocompromised or may be at higher risk of illness
- avoiding non-essential visits to high-risk settings, such as hospitals and long-term care homes.
Accommodations relating to COVID-19
Disability accommodation related to COVID-19
If you, or a dependent, have a health condition that puts you at a higher risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms, you may request a COVID-19 disability accommodation.
Starting the process is easy:
1. Reach out to your manager to set up a conversation and explain your reasons for the request. If you do not make this request via email, be sure to record the date and make personal notes of each conversation.
2. There are many ways to start this conversation. Some examples include:
- “I am concerned about working in the office because my health condition makes me vulnerable to serious complications if I contract COVID-19.”
- “I am concerned about working in the office because I’m taking medication that impacts immunity.”
3. During the conversation, identify the challenge(s) and the arrangement you seek. You may be presented with an alternative or be expected to talk through another possible solution.
4. If you feel you might like support for this conversation, please feel free to contact an AMAPCEO Workplace Representative in your District.
Learn more about this process in our fact sheet on workplace accommodation.
Family status accommodation related to COVID-19
If you have a dependent with a health condition that puts them at a higher risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms you may request a family status accommodation.
Starting the process is easy:
1. Reach out to your manager to set up a conversation. If you do not make this request via email, be sure to record the date and make personal notes of each conversation.
2. There are many ways to start this conversation. Some examples include:
- I am concerned about working in the office because my child is immunocompromised.
- I am concerned about working in the office because my dependent is receiving treatment that weakens immunity.
3. During the conversation, identify the challenge(s) and the arrangement you seek. You may be presented with an alternative or be expected to talk through another possible solution.
4. If you feel you might like support for this conversation, please feel free to contact an AMAPCEO Workplace Representative in your District.
Learn more about this process in our fact sheet on family status accommodation.
Health and safety in the workplace
Masks and face coverings
The OPS Employer has lifted mask mandates in OPS workplaces, except in high-risk congregate settings.
While masks are no longer mandatory, AMAPCEO encourages you to continue to wear them until you are personally comfortable.
Masks may still be a public health requirement in certain situations, for instance, if you have recently recovered from COVID-19 or are a close contact of someone with COVID-19.
Please see the OPS Employer's Questions and Answers for OPS Employees re: Returning to the Workplace page (available on InsideOPS) for the latest.
If you work in healthcare or a laboratory setting, you may be required to wear additional or different personal protective equipment (PPE).
Vaccination
The OPS Employer no longer requires employees reporting to workplaces to provide proof of vaccination, a medical exemption, or testing, except in high-risk congregate settings.
AMAPCEO strongly encourages you to get vaccinated and get your boosters as you are eligible.
Other health and safety measures
If you have questions or concerns about your workplace, please contact an AMAPCEO Health & Safety Representative.
If you are in the workplace and feel you are in an unsafe situation, make your manager aware of the circumstance immediately, then notify an AMAPCEO Health & Safety Representative and/or an AMAPCEO Workplace Representative as soon as possible.
If you have questions or need assistance
Please contact an AMAPCEO Workplace Representative near you. They do not have to be in your Ministry.
Workplace Representatives are trained union members who have volunteered to confidentially assist members like you in the workplace. They should be your first point of contact in seeking information and representation with an issue at work.
Your Workplace Representative may ask you to use the union’s secure web-based system, RADAR, to provide details about your situation. RADAR will help you and your Workplace Representative keep track of things without the privacy concerns that could come from using the Employer’s email system.
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