As you have likely heard on the news, 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.
- Workers are not eligible for this program if their employer provides paid sick days already (presumably, three or more paid sick days).
- 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 the existing CRSB which provides a further two weeks of paid 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, [email protected] or call 705-400-7145.
