COVID-19 Update: March 16

March 16 Update
COVID-19 and Ontario Museums

• The employee is under medical investigation, supervision or treatment for COVID-19
• The employee is acting in accordance with an order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
• The employee is in isolation or quarantine.
• The employee is acting in accordance with public health information or direction.
• The employer directs the employee not to work.
• The employee needs to provide care to a person for a reason related to COVID-19 such as a school or day-care closure.·    

• The one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits will be waived for new claimants who are quarantined so they can be paid for the first week of their claim.
• Establishing a new dedicated toll-free phone number to support enquiries related to waiving the EI sickness benefits waiting period.
• Priority EI application processing for EI sickness claims for clients under quarantine.

• Discounted remote working software for non-profits from TechSoup HERE.

Digital tools can allow museums to reach out to audiences despite closures and social distancing practices. Some Ontario examples are below:

• St. Catharines Museum will post activities on their Facebook Page HERE.  
• Bata Shoe Museum is releasing daily colouring sheets on their website HERE. 
• Brockville Museum highlighted their digital collections on Twitter HERE. 
• Osgoode Township Museum offered "to-go" kits of activities that had been prepared for March Break
• Bytown Museum showcased their virtual tour HERE.

Several Ontario museums are also available for 3D virtual tours, including:

• St. James Cathedral
• Dundas Museum & Archive
• Amherstburg Freedom Museum
• Oakville Museum