Paid sick days must not expire

Published September 4, 2021
by Denise Martins

Earlier this week the provincial government announced the extension of the three temporary paid sick days under the Worker Income Protection Benefit (WIPB) until December 31, 2021. This is the least they could do to protect workers in a fourth wave, but remains completely inadequate. We are concerned that workers who have already accessed their three temporary paid sick days to get vaccinated or stay home with symptoms are still left with no protection.

As children return to school this month, we know that inadequate paid sick days will result in negative outcomes for children’s health. A recent piece co-authored by Decent Work and Health Network member Dr. Shazeen Suleman highlighted the problem with a school re-opening plan that does not include 10 permanent paid sick days for all workers, including parents and education workers.

Image of child on hospital bed. Three blocks of text appear on top of the image: Block 1: Toronto Star Block 2: “No parent should have to choose between their child’s health or losing work. Paid sick days are needed to keep children healthy By Alana Powell - Contributor Dr. Shazeen Suleman - Contributor Monday, August 30, 2021 | 4 minute read” Block 3: “With the rise of the Delta variant and the opening of schools, it is almost certain that there will be many more children who are sick with respiratory illnesses. Some of these children will be severely sick. This suffering is preventable. It is beyond reproach that parents will have to choose between feeding their children or finding medical care for them as the paltry three temporary paid sick days are set to expire in September. We have to ask ourselves, what does it say about our society when those who care for children don’t receive the care they need?”

 

 

The federal government recently announced the extension of the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) by just four weeks until October 23, 2021. Extending temporary programs like the WIPB and the CRSB is not adequate. Our patients will continue getting sick, even after COVID-19 -- our patients need permanent workplace protections.

Help amplify the message that temporary paid sick days are not the solution. Let’s tell our elected provincial representatives to immediately legislate at least 10 permanent paid sick days for all workers. 

Please consider sending an e-mail to your elected representatives. We've created a quick tool to help you do this. Click here to add your voice.

#Elxn44: Make paid sick days an election issue

With the announcement of a snap federal election, all major parties are putting forward their plans for a just recovery. Due to all of our collective pressure, paid sick days are now a central election issue with both the Liberals and the NDP pledging to update the Canada Labour Code and implement 10 paid sick days for federally regulated employees if elected. Both have also committed to working with provinces to legislate permanent paid sick leave across the country.

Now that there is support from two major federal parties, we need to push all federal candidates and our elected provincial representatives to commit to urgently take action. We need 10 permanent paid sick days for ALL workers.

Download posters and put them up in your community to show your support for decent work in this election.

App-based platform worker health matters

In case you missed it, the Ontario government is currently rushing to incorporate demands from app-based corporations like Uber without adequate consideration of workers’ voices. Doctors Gaibrie Stephen and Jesse Mclaren co-authored a piece in the Toronto Star this week outlining why ending misclassification and ensuring basic rights for platform workers is a health issue. 

Image of food delivery worker riding a bike on city street. Three blocks of text appear on top of the image: Block 1: Toronto Star Block 2: “Gig workers in Ontario lack basic labour rights. The province needs to provide them access to protections” By Dr. Gaibrie Stephen - Contributor Dr. Jesse McLaren - Contributor Tuesday, August 31, 2021 | 4 minute read” Block 3: “Digital platform workers, ones that many use daily like Uber or Lyft, have been putting their health on the line for all of us throughout the pandemic. They deliver food and packages, and provide us with access to rides around the city — but are still being denied basic labour rights due to misclassification. A committee examining the future of work in Ontario is set to make recommendations next month, and it’s timely. As we enter the fourth wave, it’s urgent to expand essential labour protections, not narrow them by codifying misclassification in law. If we’re serious about public health, we can’t leave platform workers behind in the pandemic recovery.\

Platform workers -- who have been putting their health on the line to deliver food and drive us around the city -- are already excluded from basic protections like minimum wage, overtime, and Employment Insurance, and face major barriers accessing coverage through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. Any attempts to further segment these workers will favour corporations like Uber over workers’ health.

In solidarity,

Denise Martins
DWHN Coordinator

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