Paid sick leave: About 6% of Canadians are eligible for it

About one million Canadians will be eligible for 10 days of paid sick leave starting December 1, 2022, federal Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan announced.

“One of the most important lessons that COVID-19 has taught us is that when you’re sick, you stay home,” O’Regan said. “Workers should not face any consequences for taking a good decision. 10 days paid leave means they don’t need it.”

This new regulation allows 6% of all workers in the country to “prioritize their health and improve their working conditions”, we can read in a press release.

Last year, the Government of Canada announced that it would include these 10 days of paid sick leave in the Canada Labor Code to “better protect workers, their jobs and their families.”

The settlement was finalized after several consultations with various stakeholders, including employers and unions.

According to the federal government’s projected long-term effects, the new sick leave should reduce the number of days workers report to work sick and curb the spread of disease.

The change applies to all offices in the federal private sector, including transport, banking and postal services.

Additionally, Canadian workers missed an average of 8.5 days due to illness or disability in 2019, Statistics Canada concluded.