With Covid-19 shutting down most businesses across the province, workers are questioning how some businesses can remain open.
During the pandemic, the provincial government has mandated only businesses that can maintain social distance of 2 metres or 6 feet between clients and customers can stay open.
However, our newsroom has received a handful of calls, social media messages and emails from workers, who wish to remain anonymous, over the last week sharing concerns of unsafe health practices.
Each individual, ranging from delivery drivers, to tire factory workers and government office clerks, said they feel employers are abusing the essential service status to exempt themselves from gathering limits in order to remain open and fully staffed.
So, what is considered an essential service?
In an email, Marla MacInnis, Media Relations for Nova Scotia said businesses deemed essential are services vital to the public.
Those include health, food, agri-food and fisheries, transportation such as trucking, rail and transit, construction and manufacturing, and IT among others.
She said businesses outside of these specifications have a duty to take precautions to ensure the health and safety of persons at the workplace, and must follow the orders issued under the Health Protection Act.
This can be done by regularly cleaning and disinfecting work-spaces and high-touch areas at least twice a day or more if required, and by ensuring employees are practicing good hygiene.
MacInnis said any employees whose employer is not complying with the Health Protection Act, should speak with their supervisors about the issue, and escalate from there.
However, NDP leader Gary Burrill said most workers in Nova Scotia don’t have the financial security needed to challenge their employers.
He says workers are scared if they push employers to follow proper safety practices, they could face many consequences including wage loss and termination.
He noted there are safeties in place for this exact situation though.
“The thing to do in that case is to call the Nova Scotia Labour Department,” said Burrill.
“It is their responsibility then to send an occupational health and safety inspector to that workplace to ensure that employer is keeping it safe for everyone who is there.”
Overall Burill has been pleased with the governments response, but says more needs to be done to protect those who are most vulnerable.
“One of the things that has been brought into clear view is just how many people there are across Canada for whom the difference of one paycheck could mean the difference of if their household is going to sink or swim,” he said.
He said more businesses need to implement paid sick days, especially during the current global pandemic, as most people don’t have the financial stability to step away from work regardless of the situation.
Services that are deemed essential and exempt from gathering limits are:
- health
- food, agri-food and fisheries
- transportation, including trucking, rail and transit
- construction and manufacturing
- IT, telecommunications and critical infrastructure
- public services, such as police, fire and ambulances
Anyone who feels they are working in an unsafe environment can call the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education at 1-800-9-LABOUR.
With files from Evan Taylor
