March 5, 2021
The Government of Yukon releases A Path Forward
A Path Forward: Next Steps is a framework for how the Yukon Government plans to reduce the negative effects the COVID-19 pandemic has on Yukoners and the communities we live in.
Download the:
The COVID-19 Moderna Vaccine is Now available to anyone aged 18 and over in the Yukon.
YEU supports the vaccination roll-out and we look forward to the resumption of normal life in the Yukon. While vaccination is not being mandated by any employer at this time, we do encourage our members to be vaccinated. We will support the right of any member to elect to be vaccinated or to decline vaccination.
Covid Vaccine Side Effects & Sick Leave - February 8 2021
According to the YG Public Service Commission, roughly 60% of Continuing Care staff were off sick yesterday, Friday February 5th. Group-vaccinated essential workers are dealing en masse with the side effects of their second shot of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. I learned Friday afternoon that a memo went out to... Read more
MEMBER UPDATES:
Member Update - COVID 19 October 10
Member Update - Covid 19 August 21
Member Update - Covid 19 July 24
Member Update - Covid 19 June 26
Member Update - Covid 19 June 16
Member Update - Covid 19 May 29
Member Update - Covid-19 May 22
Member Update - Covid-19 May 14
Member Update - Covid-19 May 8
Member Update - Covid 19 April 17
Member Update - Covid-19 April 8
Member Update - Covid-19 March 30
Member Update - Covid-19 March 24
Member Update - Covid-19 March 19
Member Update - YEU Closure March 17
Yukon's COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy:
According to Yukon Government information, there will be enough doses available in the Territory to ensure 75% of adult residents can receive the vaccine. Below is information from their website, and links to further information. We will provide more information on how workers can expect to be impacted as it becomes available.
- Yukon will receive enough vaccines to immunize 75% of the adult population in the 1st 3 months of 2021.
- Based on predicted uptake of the vaccine, we expect all adult Yukoners who would like to receive the vaccine will have access.
The vaccine strategy has 3 key objectives
- Ensure the COVID-19 vaccine is safely and efficiently delivered to Yukoners.
- Ensure there is barrier-free access to the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Establish and maintain confidence in the process and the COVID-19 vaccine.
Priority populations in Yukon will include but are not limited to:
- residents and staff of group-living settings, such as long-term care homes, group homes and shelters;
- healthcare workers, including those who work in healthcare settings and personal support workers who work directly with patients and clients;
- people over 80 years of age who are not living in long-term care; and
- Yukoners living in rural and remote communities, including Yukon First Nations people.
To read more about the planned Vaccination strategy for the Yukon, visit the government's website.
Questions about Masks?
The Government of Canada has posted a comprehensive information page on the use of masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. With articles on what fabrics and mask styles are best, and guidance on all aspects of their use. Visit their website and read the article HERE
Wear a non-medical mask or face covering to prevent COVID-19 spread
Strong public health actions are needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
To protect yourself and others, wear a non-medical mask or face covering when:
- you're in public and you might come into close contact with others
- you're in shared indoor spaces with people from outside your immediate household
- advised by your local public health authority
Mandatory use of masks or face coverings
Public health officials make recommendations for wearing masks based on a number of factors. These factors include rates of infection and/or transmission in the community. In some jurisdictions, the use of masks is now mandatory in many indoor public spaces and on public transit. Check with your local public health authority on the requirements for your location.
Proper material, structure and fit
Well-designed and well-fitting masks or face coverings can prevent the spread of your infectious respiratory droplets. They may also help protect you from the infectious respiratory droplets of others.
How well a mask or face covering works depends on the materials used, how the mask is made, and most importantly, how well it fits.
A mask or face covering can be homemade or purchased, and should:
- be made of at least 3 layers
- 2 layers should be tightly woven material fabric, such as cotton or linen
- the third (middle) layer should be a filter-type fabric, such as non-woven polypropylene fabric
- be large enough to completely and comfortably cover the nose, mouth and chin without gaping
- allow for easy breathing
- fit securely to the head with ties or ear loops
- be comfortable and not require frequent adjustments
- be changed as soon as possible if damp or dirty
- maintain its shape after washing and drying
Know the do's and don'ts of non-medical mask and face covering safety (instructions with printable poster).
Hearing impairments and clear masks
If you're hearing impaired, or interact with people who use lip-reading to communicate, consider wearing a clear mask.
If a clear mask isn't available:
- use written communication, closed captioning or decrease background noise as much as possible
- if writing, don't share writing items
- maintain at least a 2-metre distance if you must rely on lip-reading to communicate
- only the person speaking should remove their mask while communicating
Clear masks can also be used in settings where facial expression is an important part of communication.
Appropriate use and storage
Masks and face coverings are only effective if worn properly. Uncovering your nose or mouth while wearing one:
- eliminates any protection it may offer
- allows you to breathe in and exhale potentially infectious respiratory droplets
Don't hang the mask or face covering from your ears or place it under your chin.
It's important to keep your mask or face covering clean when not in use, or when eating or drinking.
Store it in a clean paper or cloth bag until you put it on again.
Soiled masks or face coverings should be placed in a secure, waterproof bag or container until they can be washed in the laundry.
We must act now to slow the spread of COVID-19
Over the past few weeks, many parts of Canada have entered the second wave of the pandemic, with cases of COVID-19 rising quickly. Some cities are seeing record numbers of cases, with hospitalizations climbing.
We need to take action now to flatten the curve before we reach a crisis point this fall. Whether you’re working from home or you’ve never left the workplace, we can all do our part to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Many of us will need to make personal sacrifices over the next few months – changing the ways we socialize, cutting back on trips outside our homes and cancelling holiday plans – but the health and safety of our members and the Canadians we serve depends on it. By following the recommendations of public health authorities in your area, we can help prevent outbreaks in our workplaces and communities.
PSAC urges everyone to follow public health guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19:
- Don’t go to work when you’re sick and get tested if you have COVID-like symptoms or believe you’ve been exposed;
- Wash your hands often, and use hand sanitizer whenever possible;
- Stay two metres (six feet) apart from others;
- Wear a mask or face covering where required or when you cannot maintain physical distancing;
- Limit your outings to essential trips to prevent community spread of COVID-19;
- Notify your close contacts if you test positive for COVID-19;
- Download the Government of Canada’s COVID Alert app.
You also have the right to work in a safe and healthy workplace during the pandemic. Your employer must let you know the steps they’ve taken to minimize the spread of COVID-19, clearly communicate information in the workplace and set a clear policy for what’s expected of workers if they get sick, have COVID-19 symptoms or come into contact with someone who does.
Employers must also do everything possible to protect the health and safety of workers by providing proper training, sanitation and personal protective equipment.
And as workers, we have a responsibility to keep our colleagues safe and monitor our workplaces for health and safety issues.
Learn more about how to stay safe in the workplace during this evolving pandemic. Visit the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety for guidelines, printable materials,
https://www.ccohs.ca/products/publications/pdf/pandemiccovid19/covid-health-safety-guide.pdf
Yukon Workers' Compensation Health & Safety Board Article on Return-to-Work, May 20, 2020
RETURN TO THE WORKPLACE
As the economy starts to reopen, gradually, we will see businesses resume, stay-at-home restrictions lifted and workers return to physical workplaces.
Planning is essential to protect the health and safety of workers and the public. Your plan needs to identify
HOW ARE YOU DOING?!
Are you working from home or doing your essential job under strange new circumstances? Have you had to adapt your work life very much? Maybe you're working at the kitchen table with toddlers hanging around your neck, or helping with science experiments while you manage zoom meetings.
Drop us a line!
Returning to Work?
YEU is reaching out to employers to participate in the Covid-19 Return to Work planning; if you have questions or concerns, or wish to discuss your workplace's RTW plan with us, please reach out through our website's online contact form or by emailing [email protected]
Do You Work for the Yukon Government?
YG has released updated information on improved and enhanced wellbeing benefits and programs for its workers. Please follow the links below to learn how the FSEAP program has been adapted to respond to Covid-19, and new benefits for you and your family at this time.
WELL-BEING SUPPORTS DURING COVID-19
Eligible employees can access 7 counselling sessions per family between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021. Counselling is available by phone or video during COVID-19 from counsellors in Yukon and BC.
Crisis counselling and intake services are available 24/7.
Call 1-800-667-0993 or (867) 668-3327 to access a counselor.
Up to 4 additional sessions are available in exceptional or urgent circumstances as a bridge to accessing longer term care.
Can you Refuse Unsafe Work? (April 1, 2020)
PSAC's Updated Your Rights at Work Information HERE (April 2, 2020)
Have you been laid off?
PSAC National has updated the union's processes which protect laid off workers' union membership.
Members from Locals and bargaining units that have seen COVID-related layoffs; PSAC will extend Membership in Good Standing and ensure the Local Executives continue holding union office, even while on temporary layoff status. PSAC and YEU are trying to be as proactive as possible on this.
Where we know that an employer has shut down or laid members off due to COVID, we are not requiring these members to make individual membership requests. Instead, the bargaining unit will be protected as a block, and their executive will be preserved under PSAC's Regulation 5.
GOVERNMENT BENEFITS SUMMARY, UPDATED April 6, 2020
Updated April 1, 2020. Compiled by Jennifer Robson, Associate Professor of Political Management, Carleton University using public information. Any errors or omissions are unintended.
On March 19, the Yukon Government released its Human Resources Directive, or Covid-19 Directive 2. This lays out the measures implemented to keep its workers safe,and explains its work-from-home protocols.The government has utilized its Essential Services Matrix "designed to assist the user in identifying essential services for business continuity". It lists its Service Categories including those considered Critical, Vital, Necessary, and Desired.
If you are a YG member whose department, branch, manager or supervisor has not yet clarified your role or service category, please contact YEU at yeu.ca/contact yeu.ca/intake.
For current information on the Covid-19 situation in the Yukon, visit yukon.ca and click the Covid-d19 link on the home page.
Like you, we're looking for solutions that protect your work and your livelihood. Our leaders are in constant contact with employers as they try and establish solutions to the challenge of providing safe workspaces and navigate the unknowns presented by this Covid-19 pandemic and the Yukon's State of Emergency.
Please ensure you have subscribed to our website for regular email updates. At the moment, we are trying to send them every couple of days. The frequency may change as the situation evolves. Please make sure you add us as a safe sender, so our messages don't get lost in your spam box.
Be well, take care of yourselves, be kind and wash your hands. Your union is working hard for you. If you have questions or have concerns about what is happening at your workplace, please reach out through our website.
Queries? Send them through [email protected] or visit yeu.ca/contact
Workplace problems: Intake forms can be submitted online through our website at yeu.ca/intake
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