COVID-19

Exposure to COVID-19

If you have symptoms or tested positive:

• you should inform your manager, and
• stay home until all of the following apply to you:
  • 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.

Regular employees (full-time and part-time) must use the Short-Term Sickness Plan to cover their time away from the workplace.

Fixed-term employees must use attendance credits.

For 10 days after your symptoms started, you must:

• wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings
• avoid non-essential activities where you need to take off your mask
• avoid non-essential visits to anyone who is immunocompromised or may be at higher risk of illness
• avoid non-essential visits to high-risk settings, such as hospitals and long-term care homes.

If someone in your household has symptoms or tested positive:

Self-isolation is no longer required for asymptomatic individuals who have received a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

If someone in your household has symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19, use the Government of Ontario guidance to confirm if you need to isolate.

If you must self-isolate:

• follow the procedures if you have symptoms or test positive.

If you do not need to self-isolate, you can seek flexibility from your manager to work remotely while your household contact is required to isolate.

Returning to the workplace

Alternative Work Arrangements

Alternative work arrangements, such as compressed work weeks and flexible hours, are still in use in many workplaces, teams, and units. They can be a useful tool to help you achieve better work/life balance.

If you were on an alternative work arrangement and it was suspended, you can ask to have it reinstated at any time. If you have not had an alternative work arrangement, you can request one at any time.

Learn more in our fact sheet on alternative work arrangements

If you require different or further flexibility

If you require flexibility beyond what an alternative work arrangement can offer (for example, if you have a health condition that makes you more vulnerable to COVID-19, if you have a dependent who is immunocompromised, or other family-related responsibilities), you can request further flexibility from your manager.

Starting the process is easy:

1. Reach out to your manager to set up a conversation related to flexible working arrangements and your reason(s) for it. 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 experiencing challenges with returning to the workplace and balancing childcare obligations.”

• “I feel that I am struggling with feelings of isolation during remote work.”

• “I am concerned about returning to the workplace because I have a health condition that makes me particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.”

• “It would help if…”

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.

5. If you and your manager cannot agree on a more flexible arrangement, or if you require more flexibility than your Employer can offer, it may be necessary to seek a more formal accommodation.

• If it is related to your physical or mental health, learn more in our fact sheet on workplace accommodation
• If it is related to family care responsibilities, learn more 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

AMAPCEO Health and Safety Representatives are helping to assess whether local workplaces are complying with public health best practices, including increasing ventilation and safer HVAC operation.

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 in your District. 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.