Can an employee be required to take paid vacations because of SARS?
• It depends on whether the employee was away after the SARS Assistance and Recovery Strategy Act, 2003 came into force on May 5, 2003 or whether the employee took emergency leave emergency leave –>under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 for SARS-related reasons before that date. • If the employee was away from work before May 5, 2003, an employer may be able to require the employee to take the days off as vacation days. For more information, call the Employment Standards Call Centre at 416-326-7160 in the GTA, or 1-800-531-5551 from other places in Ontario. • If the employee was taking leave under the SARS Assistance and Recovery Strategy Act, 2003 on or after May 5, 2003, the employee is entitled to take those days off work as SARS leave days, and the employer generally cannot require the employee to take the days as vacation days.
