Yukon government starts funding 40 hours of paid sick leave

Story by The Canadian Press • 

WHITEHORSE — Yukon's premier says the territory is the first in Canada to provide government-funded paid sick leave with a program targeting workers who are most likely to suffer from taking unpaid time off.


Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai 

As of April 1, anyone without paid sick leave through their employer and making less than or equal to $33.94 per hour, will qualify for 40 hours of pay over 12 months covered by the government.

The territory says in a statement that the threshold represents the average Yukon private-sector wage and workers who earn less than that are most likely to experience financial hardship if they take unpaid sick leave.

The program also applies to self-employed Yukoners and is slated to cover sick leave taken from April 1 to March 31, 2025.

The territory says when an employee takes time off because they are sick, they will continue to be paid by their employer as if they had been at work and the employer will apply to the government for a rebate.

Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai says the pandemic emphasized how important it is for people to have access to paid sick leave.

"Our government is proud to become the first jurisdiction in Canada to provide government-funded paid sick leave," he said in a statement.

The program replaces a paid sick leave program launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but is not restricted just to those missing work due to the virus.

"We are confident that this will help balance the needs of employers and workers while contributing to public health and economic resilience," Pillai said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2023

The Canadian Press