If people are forced to choose between losing a paycheque and putting food on the table, they are going to choose the paycheque. We know that workplaces are a major contributor to the spread of COVID-19 and many people continue to go into work sick because they don’t have access to paid sick leave. This needs to change immediately.
Let’s look at the data. Research conducted in Peel Region by our medical officer of health, Dr. Lawrence Loh, from August 2020 to this month, shows that 1,993 COVID-19 positive individuals in Peel reported going into work following the onset of their symptoms. This is 25 per cent of a total 7,784 symptomatic cases that were studied over the period. A total of 80 people went into work after a positive test result.
Ontario has entered the most stringent lockdown to date, and yet cases are only declining slowly. Unprecedented actions have been taken to limit the spread of COVID-19, but there has been no movement on paid sick leave.
In Peel Region alone, there have been 218 workplace outbreaks since the onset of the pandemic. And with only 40 per cent of Canadians having access to paid sick leave — and only 10 per cent of low-wage earners — this has become a glaring gap in our COVID-19 response. It’s time that we address this issue head on. Dr. Loh, as well as other medical officers of health, have been calling for paid sick leave for months.
Some people have argued that the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit is sufficient, but this is simply not the case. First off, people can only apply after they become sick, with no guarantee of receiving money. Further, it is only $450 per week after tax, which in the GTA is not enough to live on. Finally, it doesn’t even compensate people who simply need to take a day or two off to get a test and await results; you have to lose at least half your working hours in a week to qualify.
If workplaces are deemed to be essential businesses, then we need to ensure workers are properly protected.
It’s not just medical officers of health who have been calling for paid sick leave. Mayors from across Ontario have also been vigorously advocating for this for months. Many of us agree that the Ontario Government needs to mandate 10 paid sick days for all Ontarians during the pandemic, with the federal government helping employers pay the cost. This would mean workers could immediately access paid sick leave without any disruption to their wages.
By no stretch have we exhausted all the measures we have to keep people safe and stop the spread of COVID-19. The data clearly shows we have much more work to do, and that means putting in place proper supports for workers to stay safe, get tested, isolate if positive, and protect their families.
For many of us, the pandemic has been an inconvenience. We now have to work from home and we can no longer enjoy the things we used to do. But for many workers, COVID-19 has created an impossible dilemma. These people need to be supported, because they get up every day to produce the products and services we need to live and work through this pandemic.
Paid sick days are long-overdue, urgent, and required to protect our community. Paid sick leave will help save lives.
Recent Comments