Ministry of Health
Office of the Deputy Minister and Minister of Health
777 Bay Street, 5th Floor
Toronto ON M7A 1N3
June 9, 2020
SUBJECT: Pandemic Pay
FROM: Helen Angus, Deputy Minister
CC: Matthew Anderson, President and CEO, Ontario Health
Melanie Fraser, Associate Deputy Minister
Alison Blair, Assistant Deputy Minister
Patrick Dicerni, Assistant Deputy Minister
Mike Heenan, Assistant Deputy Minister
Michael Hillmer, Assistant Deputy Minister
Peter Kaftarian, Assistant Deputy Minister
Ragaven Sabaratnam, Assistant Deputy Minister
Dr David Williams, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Medical Office of Health
Phil Graham, Executive Lead
I am writing in follow up to my May 27, 2020 memo about temporary pandemic pay for eligible frontline and support workers.
As I noted, our written funding commitments to temporary pandemic pay will be provided very soon, followed quickly by the required funding. With the imminent flow of money, I feel it is important to provide clarity on the need for adherence to the parameters of temporary pandemic pay.
As you know, the government passed an Emergency Order on May 29, 2020 prohibiting all employers, among other entities, from expanding eligibility for temporary pandemic pay. This Emergency Order also clarifies that an agreement between an employer and a trade union or a bargaining agent regarding the payment of temporary pandemic pay is not required for the employer to make payments of temporary pandemic pay to eligible employees. For your reference, a copy of this Emergency Order is attached.
Please be advised that the ministry’s written funding commitments will clearly stipulate that the funding must adhere to the government’s eligibility framework for temporary pandemic pay and that eligible employers must not expand temporary pandemic payments to ineligible employees.
We recognize that employers may face pressure to provide other forms of temporary COVID-19-related payments to those employees who are currently ineligible for the government-funded temporary pandemic pay. However, should employers decide to provide other forms of COVID-19-related payments (i.e. not government-funded temporary pandemic payments) to employees who are ineligible for temporary pandemic pay, the government will not be providing funds to cover these costs.
If you have any questions about pandemic pay, please consult
https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-temporary-pandemic-pay and/or contact the Ministry at MOH.PPInquiries@ontario.ca
Thank you,
Helen Angus, Deputy Minister
