Communicable Disease Plan | Labour Relations Board of British Columbia

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Labour Relations Board (the Board) has developed a COVID-19 safety policy. This policy is subject to change in response to Public Health Orders and/or other applicable legislation.

This policy applies to all Board staff and visitors to the Board. The Board's approach to reducing the risk of COVID-19 exposure is based on following protocols that offer the highest level of protection.

The Board's staff will work in a hybrid remote-in-person manner. Limited staff will be allowed in the office each day. We strongly recommend you contact the Board by email, webform, or phone with any inquiries as there may not be staff on-site who can meet with you.

Proceedings

A proceeding includes a hearing, mediation, settlement conference, informal/alternative dispute resolution process, and case management or any other meeting.

Virtual proceedings will continue to be the Board's default way to conduct a proceeding as it is the only available means of eliminating the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

For more information about virtual proceedings, please see the following:

On its own motion, or at the written request of a party, the Board may consider an in-person proceeding where it can be done safely and in accordance with the In-Person proceedings policy and Illness policy for members of the public.

Votes conducted by the Board

Online electronic voting will continue to be the Board's default way to conduct votes as an alternative to in-person votes as the best available means of eliminating the risk of transmission and conducting the vote in a timely manner.

On its own motion, or at the written request of a party, the Board may consider conducting an in-person proceeding where it can be done safely and in accordance with the In-Person vote policy and Illness policy for members of the public.

Where an online vote is not possible, and an in-person vote in the Lower Mainland is not feasible as set out in this Policy or at the direction of the Board, a mail ballot may be considered.

The Board's policy on in-person voting applies only to votes directed by the Board or the Minister.

Statutory declarations

The Board continues to waive the requirement under the Rules that a party file a sworn statutory declaration in support of applications under the Code, including, but not limited to, applications under Section 99 and Section 141 of the Code
In lieu of a statutory declaration, parties may file an unsworn statement containing the same information and documents that would otherwise have been required in a sworn statutory declaration
The change is subject to the discretion of the Board or the panel assigned to require a sworn statutory declaration on a case by case basis.

If you have any questions or concerns about an active file, please contact us.