Ontario’s 3 Paid Sick Days
The Provincial government has confirmed access to three paid sick days for Ontario workers impacted by COVID-19 under the Worker Income Protection Program
Key takeaways include:
- This is a temporary program and is only available for absences due to Covid-19 reasons (those experiencing symptoms, an illness related to Covid, those self-isolating, or taking time off work to get a vaccine or to deal with symptoms arising from vaccination).
- The program will come to an end on September 25th, 2021.
- Workers are eligible for this program if they have fewer than 3-paid sick days with their employer as of April 19, 2021 (in other words, their paid sick day allowance must be increased to at least 3 days as of that date).
- Employers will be required to pay the sick days directly to their staff but will be reimbursed 100% of the employee’s wage (up to $200 a day).
- The reimbursement program will be administered by the WSIB (though you do not have to be an employer covered by WSIB).
- Further details, including reimbursement applications for employers will be updated here, https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-worker-income-protection-benefit
Workers who must remain off work for Covid-reasons, for periods of time longer than 3-days, remain eligible for the Federal government’s Canadian Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) program for up to $500 weekly. The new Ontario program announced above dovetails with existing CRSB benefits. More information about the CRSB program can be found here,
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-sickness-benefit.html
If you need assistance or more information, please feel free to contact our offices, hrlive-support@savinohrp.ca or call 705-400-7145.
