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ON Extending Paid Covid Sick Days

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If you need to take time off to get tested for Covid-19, eligible workers will still receive up to $200 a day.

Since April 2021, the provincial government has provided a payment to eligible employers to cover workers missing time in order to get tested, vaccinated, receive booster shots, self-isolate, or care for a family member who is ill from COVID-19. This benefit has been extended until March 31, 2023.

Those workers will continue to receive up to $200 a day for up to three days if needed and the government will continue to reimburse the eligible employers for the paid leave days.

More details can be found here.

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Ford Government Backtracks On Sick Leave

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It looks like a provincial paid sick leave program is not coming to Ontario.

Labour Minister Monte McNaughton said that instead of their own program, which Premier Doug Ford said was coming last week, they want Ottawa to double the federal program to $1,000 per week with Ontario footing the increased costs.

In response, federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says that the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) is there for Canadians who fall through the cracks because they don’t have a regular employer or because their province doesn’t have their own program in place.

Freeland adds, however, that Ottawa will be there to support Ontario when they’re ready to mandate sick leave in provincially regulated businesses.

As it stands right now, the only available support is through the federal government and only those missing work due to COVID-19 and those missing more than half a workweek currently qualify.

Paid sick leave has been recommended by experts as people with symptoms keep going in to work out of fear of not being able to pay the bills.

Two opposition MPP’s from northern Ontario are voicing their frustration.

Judith Monteith-Farrell (NDP) and Michael Gravelle (Liberal) tell Acadia Broadcasting that the province’s plan to push Ottawa to double the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) to $1,000 per week isn’t an immediate solution.

“Disappointing is the polite word to use,” says Gravelle, the representative for Thunder Bay-Superior North. “That is not acceptable, we need to continue to push for paid sick days. This is a priority for not only the Ontario Science Advisory Table but also medical professionals across the province have pushed the premier to act on this.”

Monteith-Farrell, the Thunder Bay-Atikokan member, added it’s discouraging that the government has taken this approach. “When a Premier says that we’re going to have the best program in North America, and then fails to deliver, it is very disappointing.”

The Premier said back on April 22 that the Ontario government was actively working on a provincially run paid sick leave benefit to curb the spread of COVID-19.

(With Files From Kevin Jeffery: Thunder Bay)

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Ford Defends Not Providing Sick Days

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Ontario’s Premier is dismissing criticism after defeating a bill to guarantee paid sick days in the province.

For what Doug Ford calls the “100th time,” he maintains the province shouldn’t be asked to provide paid sick leave when a federal program already exists.

“The taxpayers out there, I ask you this question: Would you want the federal and provincial governments to double-dip into your pockets when there’s a program already?”

He says he began pushing the federal government to expand the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) back in September.

The CRSB pays workers who are unable to work because they are sick or need to self-isolate due to COVID-19, or have an underlying health condition that puts them at greater risk of getting COVID-19.

The NDP have criticized Ford for not providing paid sick leave at the provincial level, and put forward the Stay Home If You Are Sick Act.

He also defended the defeat of another NDP bill on Monday, a $4-per-hour pay raise for Personal Support Workers. Ford says his government already gave PSWs a $3 pay raise after taking office in 2018.

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Trudeau Says He’s Looking Into Paid Sick Days For Workers

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Canada’s Prime Minister says he’ll be speaking with provinces regarding sick days.

Justin Trudeau said the government wants to ensure workers have access to 10 days of paid sick leave every year.

“To come out of this crisis, our country needs workers, people like you more than ever. Our government knows that, and we know that you deserve to be treated fairly on the jobs,” he said.

The news comes shortly after NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced he would withhold support if the federal government doesn’t deliver paid sick leave and increased support for people living with disabilities.

“This is something that I spoke with the leader of the NDP, Jagmeet Singh, yesterday. Nobody should have to choose between taking a day off work due to illness, or being able to pay their bills,” he said.

Trudeau said the government will also consider mechanisms for the longer term to support workers with sick leave.

“Just like nobody should have to choose between staying home with COVID-19 symptoms or being able to afford rent or groceries,” he said.

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NDP Calls For Paid Sick Leave For Canadians

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Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is withholding his party’s support of the Liberal minority government unless they provide all Canadians with paid sick leave.

Singh says they put forward a similar motion several weeks ago but it was shot down.

“And initially government voted against that motion, we are continuing to make it clear that we need a commitment that government is willing to provide paid sick leave for all Canadians,” Singh said.

Singh says they want to see action before agreeing to a motion put forward by the federal government to hold summer sittings of parliament and in-person special committee meetings.

The federal NDP leader says as businesses in Canada continue to reopen during a pandemic, workers need assurances the government has their back should they become ill.

“This is vital. We are in a pandemic, no Canadian should have to choose between going to work sick or staying at home and not knowing if they can pay their bills,” Singh said.