Courts have started to evaluate whether the pandemic should be factored into dismissed employees’ notice entitlement
![A COVID boost to reasonable notice](https://cdn-res.keymedia.com/cdn-cgi/image/f=auto/https://cdn-res.keymedia.com/cms/images/ca/126/0299_637544678467358325.jpg)
In 2021, we have begun to see court rulings dealing with circumstances where employees were dismissed proximate to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. To the surprise of many, the pandemic has not (yet) resulted in substantially increased common law notice awards for dismissed employees. While this is a positive trend for employers, given that positive COVID-19 cases continue to remain steady in Canada, employers should not discount the impact that COVID-19 can have upon an employee’s termination entitlements going forward.