Ontario Increasing Paid COVID-19 Leave by 3 Days

Adds to the Federal 20 COVID-19 Sick Days for total of 23 Sick Days

Paid sick days are an important tool to fight COVID-19 and we are increasing them to support Ontario’s workers, without putting the financial burden on our financially strapped small businesses. On Thursday, April 29th, our government introduced and passed Bill 284,the COVID-19 Putting Workers First Act, 2021. Our bill received unanimous support from all parties in the legislature

What this means:

  • Ontario will become the only province with three days of pay up to $200 per day, if missing work because of COVID-19.
  • It will be retroactive to April 19, 2021 and effective until September 25, 2021, the date the federal Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) will expire.
  • This means the total number of paid sick days for an eligible worker will be up to 23 days when combining the CSRB’s four weeks (20 workdays) and three provincial paid sick days.
  • You can find out more about eligibility for the Ontario program at ontario.ca/page/covid-19-worker-income-protection-benefit.

We are also offering to increase the amount of federal sick leave support from $500 to $1000 per week for four weeks (20 workdays):

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the federal and provincial governments have worked together to support people and businesses with financial aid. Employment-related income support is traditionally a national responsibility in most countries, which is why our federal government administers programs such as EI.

Ontario has offered to fund the doubling of payments for all Ontario workers up to $1000/week, or $25/hour, for four weeks. This week, the federal government signalled its willingness to work with us to double payments made through the CRSB program.

By providing time-limited paid leave, we are helping ensure workers can stay home if they are feeling symptoms of COVID-19. This will help reassure workers and families that they do not need to choose between going to work sick and putting food on the table and will help to stop the spread of the virus.