Frequently Asked Questions on Ebola and the Workplace

The health and safety of all Canadians, including federal public service employees, are of the utmost importance to the Government of Canada.

The risk to Canadians with respect to the Ebola virus disease remains very low, and as long as precautions are taken, there is low risk of contracting Ebola in a country where the disease is present.

• General Information
• Employee Rights and Responsibilities
• Manager/Supervisor Rights and Responsibilities
• FAQ Occupational Health and Safety

General Information

1. Where can employees find information about the Ebola virus disease?

The Public Health Agency of Canada website provides up-to-date information on the Ebola virus disease for all Canadians, including public service employees. This includes advice on what individuals can do to protect themselves, travel health notices and public health notices intended for Canadians, and guidance for health professionals.

Departments and agencies are taking appropriate steps to provide information to their staff to address specific departmental concerns where applicable.

2. Can the Ebola virus disease be transmitted through the air?

No, airborne spread has not been documented among humans.

3. What are the risks of getting Ebola virus disease?

The risks of contacting Ebola in Canada are very low. The virus does not spread easily from person to person. People who have close contact with infected humans are most at risk. These people include:

• hospital or laboratory staff caring for patients with Ebola virus disease and not using appropriate personal protective equipment
• family members caring for patients with Ebola virus infection

4. Who is responsible for employees' occupational health and safety?

Under the Canada Labour Code (Code), Part II, the employer (manager/supervisor) is responsible for the occupational health and safety of his/her employees.

Under the Code, employees also have a role to play to ensure their own occupational health and safety as well as the occupational health and safety of other employees and any person likely to be affected by their acts or omissions.

5. How is the Government of Canada working to protect its employees?

The Government of Canada is closely monitoring the Ebola virus disease outbreak and is working with national and international partners.

On November 10, 2014, the Government of Canada announced strengthened public health measures to protect the health and safety of all Canadians and help prevent the spread of Ebola to Canada.

In addition, presentations are being given to occupational health and safety officials and committees across the federal public service to assist departments in meeting their health and safety responsibilities. This includes support to overseas missions.

Employee Rights and Responsibilities

6. Where can employees find information about their rights and responsibilities related to Ebola?

Federal public service employees have the responsibility to inform themselves by consulting information provided by their employer and the Public Health Agency of Canada site. They are responsible for following their management's directions regarding reporting to work and workplace health procedures in the context of any disease outbreak.

Federal public service employees have specific rights related to working conditions and leave provisions that are outlined in collective agreements and Treasury Board policies. If employees require assistance in understanding these provisions, they should talk to their manager/supervisor or their union representative.

In addition, employees have three specific rights stemming from the Canada Labour Code, Part II, in relation to their health and safety in the workplace:

• the right to know;
• the right to participate; and
• the right to refuse dangerous work.

7. Do employees have the right to refuse to work for health and safety reasons?

Employees are responsible for following their management's directions regarding reporting to work and workplace health procedures in the context of the Ebola virus disease.

Under Section 128 in Part II of the Canada Labour Code, employees have the right to refuse to do a job if there is reasonable cause to believe that the job presents a danger to themselves or another employee. Employees must be at work in order to refuse to work.

8. Can employees refuse to do work that is outside their work description?

In the event of an emergency, management may require employees to perform other duties apart from their normal day-to-day duties that they have not been previously called upon to perform, or to perform duties in another geographical location (city or office).

Employees cannot refuse to perform these duties simply because they fall outside their work description. Work refusals are to be treated on a case-by-case basis and the same steps are to be followed as per previous question.

9. Can an employee refuse to serve a client whom they believe is sick?

Normally, public service employees do not refuse service to clients. However, managers/supervisors must provide their employees with direction on appropriate measures to protect their health and to stop the spread of disease in accordance with the Public Health Agency of Canada.

As previously noted, employees retain the right to refuse to perform a function or task if there is reasonable cause to believe that the function or task presents a danger to themselves or another employee.

Manager/Supervisor Rights and Responsibilities

10. What responsibilities do managers/supervisors have for occupational health and safety?

Federal public service managers/supervisors are responsible at all times, both by policy and by law, to provide their employees with a safe and healthy work environment.

Managers/supervisors must remain informed of directions and guidance issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, and from their own department or agency. They also have the duty to inform their employees of these directions and guidance.

Managers/supervisors can obtain advice from their departmental Occupational Health and Safety coordinator regarding health and safety processes and procedures but, as a minimum, should familiarize themselves on how to handle an employee's right to refuse dangerous work, and how to address an employee's occupational health and safety complaint.

11. What should a manager/supervisor do if they receive an official health and safety complaint under the Canada Labour Code Part II related to Ebola virus disease?

An employee who believes that there has been a contravention of the Canada Labour Code, Part II or that there is likely to be an accident or injury to their health arising out of linked with or occurring in the course of employment, has the right to make a complaint.

The manager/supervisor should contact the Occupational Health and Safety Unit for guidance and advice. This Unit will assist management in attempting to resolve the matter through discussion with the employee.

If both parties are unable to resolve the matter, an investigation involving a health and safety committee member or health and safety representative is required.

If the parties are unable to resolve the complaint, a Labour Program Health and Safety Officer may need to be contacted. The Health and Safety Officer may investigate the complaint.

Occupational Health and Safety

12. Where can employees find information about occupational health and safety?

For occupational health and safety advice intended for public service employees, please consult your departmental Occupational Health and Safety Coordinators.

Employment and Social Development Canada provides information to all Canadian employers and to employees on their responsibilities and rights under the Canada Labour Code.

All employees should also visit the internal website of their own organization or contact their manager for information pertaining to their specific workplaces.

13. If an employee has recently returned to work from travel to affected areas, and colleagues are concerned about exposure, what can a manager advise them?

Colleagues should be made aware that on November 10, 2014, the Government of Canada implemented strengthened public health measures to further protect Canadians and help prevent the spread of the Ebola virus disease in Canada.

These new measures will help ensure anyone who develops symptoms in Canada is identified and treated immediately without putting others at risk.

14. What are the measures to take if an individual visiting a government office is unwell?

If an individual enters a government office and appears unwell (coughing, runny nose) the employee should serve them, maintaining as much distance as possible, and wash their hands afterwards. Frequent hand washing and the avoidance of touching the eyes, nose and mouth are recommended general measures aimed at preventing infectious diseases.

Employees should contact the Specialized Health Services Directorate at Health Canada immediately should an individual visiting a government office vomit, appear feverish or show any symptoms of Ebola.

15. Is there a risk in handling passports or documents that may have been contaminated?

As Ebola virus disease is transmitted by direct contact (e.g. exposure through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood or other body fluids of an infected and symptomatic individual, any documents and papers visibly soiled with body fluids are potentially infectious and should not be accepted. They should be disposed of in accordance with internal procedures. In this situation, the use of gloves and subsequent sanitation of the environmental surface is recommended.

16. What should a manager/supervisor do if the employee who is exhibiting flu-like symptoms refuses to leave the office?

The responsibility to ensure the health and safety of all employees is a shared responsibility and does not lie solely on the manager/supervisor. Employees also have a responsibility to take reasonable and necessary precautions to safeguard other employees as set out in the Canada Labour Code.

Managers/supervisors should explain their obligation and the employee's responsibility to protect all employees and that leaving the workplace is the best strategy given the possible risk of spreading a virus.

17. The Pathogen Safety Data Sheet on the Ebola virus disease states that the virus can survive on some inanimate surfaces for hours to days, given the right experimental conditions. Is there a risk of transmission from this?

The Pathogen Safety Data Sheet (PSDS) on the Ebola virus disease is a document geared towards laboratory staff. The information provided is based on experimental conditions and not observations in nature.

A study on survival of Ebola virus in an isolation ward concludes that the risk of transmission is low when recommended infection control guidelines for viral hemorrhagic fevers are followed. As per the PSDS, the Ebola virus disease is susceptible to a range of disinfectant such as acetic acid, glutaraldehyde, alcohol-based products, and dilutions of household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and bleach powder (calcium hypochlorite). These disinfectants should be used following label instructions and in accordance to infection prevention and control guidance procedures applicable in your setting.

As described in the Occupational Health Advisory on Ebola virus disease, it is also recommended that employees practise regular hand washing as well as follow cleaning and disinfection procedures as part of general measures aimed at preventing infectious diseases.

18. Can an employee request to stay home if they fear being infected or exposed to Ebola virus disease in the workplace?

Federal public service managers/supervisors are responsible at all times, both by policy and by law, to provide their employees with a safe and healthy work environment.

Employees are responsible for following their management's directions regarding reporting to work and workplace health procedures in the context of the Ebola virus disease.

19. What are the guidelines for employees and/or their families returning to or arriving at an international posting?

Employees and their families should follow the local public health measures that are in place in Canada, or their destination country. They should also follow any other directions that have been provided to them by their organization.

20. Are there specific recommendations for pregnant women?

No, there is no specific recommendation for pregnant women.

21. What is management's responsibility if an employee becomes sick at work and requires immediate medical attention?

The employer has an obligation to ensure that all employees have a healthy and safe work place and must provide for the prompt rendering of first-aid to an employee for an injury, an occupational disease or an illness.

Managers/supervisors should also consider alternative methods of transportation if an employee is in no condition to drive by himself or herself, and ensure the employee is provided with a safe means of transportation.