Opinion: There's no replacement for paid sick days
Judy Henley is president of CUPE Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan is struggling with an intense third wave of COVID-19, fueled by more infectious and deadlier variants of concern. This third wave continues to push our health-care system to the brink. Admissions to intensive care units have never been higher. Increasingly, those hospitalized are younger and previously healthy. Our rate of active cases and hospitalizations remain among the highest in the country. Too many Saskatchewan residents are losing their lives during this pandemic.
© Provided by Leader Post Paid vaccination leave is one step, but full employer-paid sick days are needed, writes CUPE Sask. president Judy Henley.
Many COVID-19 outbreaks are occurring in workplaces.
Health officials have repeatedly urged workers to stay home if they are feeling unwell, develop COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to the virus.
This is all good advice, but not a viable option for most workers.
According to the latest data, 58 per cent of Canadian workers reported having no access to employer-paid sick leave. Among those earning less than $25,000 per year, 74 per cent said they had no paid sick leave. Those without paid sick leave are more likely to be in low-wage, precarious jobs and are disproportionately women, Indigenous and racialized workers.
Too many workers cannot afford to lose even one day of pay. The choice comes down to staying home or going to work sick so they can pay rent or put food on the table. Tragically, those infected at work will often infect family members, despite best efforts to isolate. No one should be put in this situation.
Video: Manitoba announces 5-day paid sick leave program (Global News)
For some time, the labour movement has called for paid sick leave to be made available to all workers, whether unionized or non-unionized. As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, a growing chorus of doctors and public health experts have added their voices to these calls.
In early April, nearly 300 Saskatchewan doctors signed an open letter calling on the provincial government to, among other things, provide paid sick time for essential workers . The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table also recently called on the Ford government to enact paid sick leave to essential workers to limit the spread of the virus.
After much pressure, the Ontario government finally announced that it will temporarily require employers to provide three days of paid sick leave, which can then be reimbursed by the province. This is clearly inadequate, but sadly better than what most provincial governments provide. The federal labour code and Prince Edward Island mandate three employer-paid sick days a year, while Quebec offers one annual paid sick day. The remaining provinces don’t mandate any paid sick leave.
The Saskatchewan Party government has resisted calls to enact paid sick leave. They point to the paid vaccination leave passed earlier this year and job protection leave enacted last year to provide expanded unpaid leave without the requirement of sick notes. While these are welcome initiatives, they do not go far enough and most certainly do not replace the need for paid sick days.
Our provincial government, like others, also passes the buck by pointing to the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit. This program excludes many workers, is cumbersome, does not guarantee full replacement of income and is not immediate. Workers who wake up sick in the morning need to know immediately that they will not be financially penalized if they stay home sick.
Our provincial government needs to get serious about protecting front-line workers from COVID-19 and promoting public health. The government needs to immediately legislate a minimum of 10 employer-paid sick days for all workers in Saskatchewan. The province could set up a fund to reimburse small businesses to ensure they are not unduly impacted while struggling through the pandemic. Paid sick days need to be permanent, available during COVID-19 and beyond, and not conditional upon receipt of a sick note.
Public health experts and doctors all agree: Paid sick leave should play a key role in getting us out of this pandemic. Our provincial government must act now.
Many COVID-19 outbreaks are occurring in workplaces.
Health officials have repeatedly urged workers to stay home if they are feeling unwell, develop COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to the virus.
This is all good advice, but not a viable option for most workers.
According to the latest data, 58 per cent of Canadian workers reported having no access to employer-paid sick leave. Among those earning less than $25,000 per year, 74 per cent said they had no paid sick leave. Those without paid sick leave are more likely to be in low-wage, precarious jobs and are disproportionately women, Indigenous and racialized workers.
Too many workers cannot afford to lose even one day of pay. The choice comes down to staying home or going to work sick so they can pay rent or put food on the table. Tragically, those infected at work will often infect family members, despite best efforts to isolate. No one should be put in this situation.
Video: Manitoba announces 5-day paid sick leave program (Global News)
For some time, the labour movement has called for paid sick leave to be made available to all workers, whether unionized or non-unionized. As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, a growing chorus of doctors and public health experts have added their voices to these calls.
In early April, nearly 300 Saskatchewan doctors signed an open letter calling on the provincial government to, among other things, provide paid sick time for essential workers . The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table also recently called on the Ford government to enact paid sick leave to essential workers to limit the spread of the virus.
After much pressure, the Ontario government finally announced that it will temporarily require employers to provide three days of paid sick leave, which can then be reimbursed by the province. This is clearly inadequate, but sadly better than what most provincial governments provide. The federal labour code and Prince Edward Island mandate three employer-paid sick days a year, while Quebec offers one annual paid sick day. The remaining provinces don’t mandate any paid sick leave.
The Saskatchewan Party government has resisted calls to enact paid sick leave. They point to the paid vaccination leave passed earlier this year and job protection leave enacted last year to provide expanded unpaid leave without the requirement of sick notes. While these are welcome initiatives, they do not go far enough and most certainly do not replace the need for paid sick days.
Our provincial government, like others, also passes the buck by pointing to the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit. This program excludes many workers, is cumbersome, does not guarantee full replacement of income and is not immediate. Workers who wake up sick in the morning need to know immediately that they will not be financially penalized if they stay home sick.
Our provincial government needs to get serious about protecting front-line workers from COVID-19 and promoting public health. The government needs to immediately legislate a minimum of 10 employer-paid sick days for all workers in Saskatchewan. The province could set up a fund to reimburse small businesses to ensure they are not unduly impacted while struggling through the pandemic. Paid sick days need to be permanent, available during COVID-19 and beyond, and not conditional upon receipt of a sick note.
Public health experts and doctors all agree: Paid sick leave should play a key role in getting us out of this pandemic. Our provincial government must act now.
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