NOTICE as of March 30, 2020:

This directive replaces the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board notice respecting COVID-19, dated March 16, 2020.

In response to the provincial state of emergency, declared on March 18, 2020, and having considered the most recent public health information available about novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board is taking the steps necessary to safeguard the health of our staff and the public, while maintaining meaningful access to justice, as circumstances allow. The Board will continue to monitor the situation and will update this directive as necessary. Please consult the Board’s website from time to time to obtain the most up to date information on the Board’s operations.

Scheduled In-Person hearings – All matters scheduled to be heard in-person will be adjourned to dates after May 31, 2020. For the time being, and until further notice, matters that are adjourned during this time frame will be placed on the next Motions Day following the expiry of the adjournment period, being June 2, 2020.

May Motions Day – May Motions day (May 2, 2020) is cancelled and all matters previously adjourned to May Motions Day are adjourned to June Motions Day.

Existing Phone Hearings (not May Motions day) - All matters scheduled to be heard by phone will proceed as scheduled.

Written Applications – All applications proceeding by way of written submissions continue to be processed as usual.

New Applications and Appeals – The Board continues to receive applications, appeals, and other submissions provided for under the Act and the Regulations. See “Board Office”, below, for more information.

Joint Applications for Hearings by Alternative Means - Parties are invited to make joint applications for hearings by teleconference or videoconference or other alternative means. The following guidelines will apply:

• Matters with no contested evidence may be set down for a teleconference hearing, subject to the Board’s discretion and approval.

• Matters with contested evidence may be set down to be heard by alternative means with the parties’ agreement to the applicable hearing procedure, subject to the Board’s discretion and approval.

• If approved, the Board will make a reasonable attempt to schedule adjourned matters during the dates that were most recently scheduled for the hearing of those matters.

Applications (Not Joint) for Hearings by Alternative Means - Parties may make applications (not jointly) to have matters heard by teleconference or videoconference or other alternative means. The Board expects this process to be used sparingly; priority will be given to urgent matters. The process to be followed is:

• Applicants shall file brief materials setting forth the reason for the request by email to the Registrar, with notice to the respondents. Ex parte applications are not permitted. Respondents will have three days to respond.

• In the event the hearing by alternative means is deemed appropriate, the Board will provide direction with respect to the setting of the matter for a hearing.

• The Registrar will advise of the procedure and the dates for hearing.

• For non-urgent matters, delays in processing should be expected.

Interim Applications - The Board remains available for interim applications of an urgent nature and will decide the process for any such applications on a case-by-case basis. Interim applications must specify the requested procedure for the hearing/determination of that application.

Board Office - Access to the Board office in Regina remains restricted.

The Board has now implemented a temporary remote work policy. Communication with the Board should be conducted via telephone, email, or fax. The Board’s main phone line remains open, and calls are being answered. Messages that are left on the voice mail will be returned.

Parties are encouraged to file documents electronically during this time. Documents can no longer be hand-delivered as the building where the Board office is located is closed to the public. The Board will continue to receive documents by mail. Note that the processing of applications may be delayed by up to one day. As a reminder, documents cannot be filed at the Board’s address in Saskatoon.

You may also contact the Board electronically by using the “contact us” form - http://www.sasklabourrelationsboard.com/contactmail