Saturday is the Day of Action for Paid Sick Days

Whether it's COVID-19 or another illness, workers should not lose income when they follow public health advice to stay home when ill.

As health experts, we’ve been calling for paid sick days for years, and we will continue to call for paid sick days that are available to all, regardless of status.Click here to send an automated letter to your Premier and the Prime Minister demanding permanent and legislated paid sick days for all, and join us this Saturday, August 29 for our pan-Canadian day of action for paid sick days!

Federal Sickness Benefit falls short 

The recently proposed federal Recovery Sickness benefit will provide needed support to some of our patients. But these benefits do not play the same role as paid sick days, which protect on the first day of sickness. In order to apply for the benefit, a worker must already have lost 60% of their weekly income due to illness, and then they can only apply for benefits after the fact. This is the kind of barrier that health professionals warn against in our recent report, "Before it's Too Late: How to Close the Paid Sick Day Gap During COVID-19 and Beyond."

Effective paid sick days allow our patients to stay home at the first sign of illness, with no barriers like application forms, delays to income, or required sick notes.

Take part in the Day of Action this Saturday

Months into a deadly pandemic, no jurisdiction in Canada has acted to implement adequate paid sick days. Rana, this Saturday, health providers are teaming up with parents, educators, frontline workers, and community members to mount the pressure on provincial governments for paid sick days policy we know will protect our patients and the public.

Register for the August 29 Day of Action here to let us know you’re participating -- and show your support from wherever you are.

Here are some ideas:

• Take a selfie, post a video, make a banner, chalk your sidewalk, and tag your friends to do the same 
• Whatever you do, make sure to post with the hashtag #PaidSickLeaveSavesLives
• Call your provincial representative to demand legislated paid sick days for all
• Join or organize an action in your community. Scroll down for a list of upcoming events!

Click here for printable leaflets.

Paid sick days needed for a #SafeSeptember in schools

Provincial government plans to re-open schools do not adequately address safety and will once again leave behind low-income and racialized students, families, and workers who have already been disproportionately affected by the first wave of COVID-19.

With just days before schools across Canada are set to open, there is growing concern that our education system could become the next hotspot, spreading COVID-19 and other  illnesses into our communities.

In a collaborative effort with Health Providers Against Poverty, we created an open letter to demand that the safety of students, families, and workers is prioritized as schools reopen. To view the letter and sign on, click here. 

In Toronto, we’re also teaming up with Ontario Parent Action Network and the Fight for $15 and Fairness to call for paid sick days and other protections needed for a #SafeSeptember. 

When & Where: 12-1pm (EST) on Saturday, August 29 at Dufferin Station (southwest corner of Bloor and Dufferin). To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.

Not in Toronto? No problem! Here is a list of other actions happening on Saturday, August 29 for paid sick days  and a #SafeSeptember (or, plan your own!):

Bracebridge

11:30am to 12:30pm (EST) at Monk Public School - 250 Wellington Street. To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.

Scarborough

1pm to 2pm (EST) at 3750 Lawrence Avenue East. To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.

Sudbury

2pm to 3:30pm (EST) at Memorial Park, 163 Minto Street. To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.

Vancouver

2pm to 3pm (PDT) at Queen Alexandra Elementary School, 1300 East Broadway. To RSVP and share on Facebook, click here.