Seasonal good spirits may be in short supply this year. For a start, COVID-19 cases are on the rise, we face restrictions on socializing, shopping and eating out, and we're being asked to limit family gatherings to members of our immediate household.

Earn compensation rebates and build a comprehensive health and safety program - even during COVID - with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)'s new Health and Safety Excellence program. It serves as a roadmap, featuring pathways for businesses with different needs and sizes, and at different stages of developing their health and safety programs.

As the pandemic continues, many people are still working from home. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers must take every reasonable precaution to protect workers - including teleworkers - from hazards.

If employees - including joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members - are working from home, it may be more challenging for the JHSC to fulfil its key functions, says WSPS Account Manager Pamela Patry. "But those functions don't go away; they must still be performed."