New Factsheet: the Myths & Truths about Paid Sick Days

Click here for the Myths & Truths about Paid Sick Days Factsheet.

Paid sick days are a key part of maintaining safe workplaces, public health, and the economy, yet no jurisdiction in Canada has adequate paid sick days. Canada is one of less than a quarter of countries globally that do not guarantee paid sick leave on the first day of illness – a crucial measure to stop the spread of infections. 58% of Canadians don’t have access to a single paid sick day. Millions of workers can’t afford to take a day off to care for themselves or their families when they are ill, and are faced with the choice of going to work sick (or sending a sick child to school or daycare) or losing pay and potentially getting fired.

As health care workers, we know that when our patients don’t have paid sick days, they stay sick longer, can get others around them sick, and that the burden on the health care system is high. We also know that 50% of workers in the health care and social services sectors don’t have paid sick days, and that health worker safety and outbreak containment go hand-in-hand.

Check out the factsheet for some common myths about paid sick days and how to bust them.