• During the hearing, two metres of distance must be maintainable between all people at all times.

• If these Guidelines are not followed, the Board may grant an adjournment or make its own motion for an adjournment at any time.

• The following persons will be allowed to attend in-person:

• Counsel for a party;
• Parties;
• Witnesses;
• Pre-approved support persons;
• Media.

• Any person who does not need to attend in-person will be strongly encouraged to contact the Registrar to obtain access to the hearing via phone or video (whichever is possible or practicable).

• Video or phone testimony will be expected in relation the following (“Exclusions”):

• Those who have traveled out of province 14 days prior to the hearing;
• Those who have traveled to any location with travel bans 14 days prior to the hearing;
• Those who have travelled to any location with a declared outbreak 14 days prior to the hearing - https://www.saskhealthauthority.ca/news/releases ;
• Those who are exhibiting symptoms associated with Covid-19;
• Those who have had contact with anyone who has tested positive or is under investigation for Covid-19 14 days prior to the hearing;
• Those who have been advised by Public Health, a doctor or the Saskatchewan Health Authority website to self-isolate due to possible exposure to the coronavirus Covid-19, and have not been cleared.

• Participants are required to advise counsel or the self-represented party if any of the Exclusions apply to them.

• If any of the Exclusions apply to any participants, counsel or the self-represented party will be expected to propose alternative methods of participating (video or phone) as soon as reasonably practicable or to request an adjournment. Video or phone hearings shall be conducted for matters if counsel or a self-represented party fall into any of the Exclusions, unless otherwise ordered.

• One day prior to the hearing, counsel or the self-represented party shall advise the Registrar that they have screened their participants, and themselves, that day and have confirmed that none of the foregoing Exclusions apply.

• Applications for video or phone evidence will be encouraged for:

• Those who are vulnerable to transmission of Covid-19;
• Those who must travel to Regina or Saskatoon from outside of the city to attend.

• The following process will apply to exhibits and submissions:

• No paper will be exchanged or submitted at any time during the hearing;
• All submissions and exhibits will be exchanged and provided electronically;
• Three days prior to the hearing, participants will provide all exhibits to the Registrar by email or cloud storage, except for exhibits that are unanticipated or exhibits that must be provided during the hearing to maintain fair process;
• Two days prior to the hearing, the Registrar will create an electronic exhibit book and provide it to all parties;
• The panel will be provided the exhibit book to be reviewed at the hearing as exhibits are spoken to, and as they are entered;
• Exhibits that are provided during the hearing will be exchanged and submitted by email;
• Witnesses will testify to exhibits on a laptop, or if practicable, on a projector screen;
• Laptop and witness station will be sanitized after each witness completes testimony.

• Entrances and exits to and from the hearing room will be staggered.

• There will be no loitering in the “inner hallways” at any time.

• If not able to be present in the hearing room, witnesses will wait in outer hallways until requested by counsel to testify.

• Participants will be required to bring their own water. The water cooler will not be available.

• One week prior to the hearing, counsel or the self-represented party must communicate to all participants all of the above expectations included in these Guidelines for the Conduct of In-Person Hearings.

These Guidelines are subject to change from time to time and may be amended to apply to specific circumstances, at the discretion of the Board.

Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board, May 7, 2020