Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmond

By Aaron Schulze

Paid Sick Leave Reaction

Kamloops and District Labour Council: three paid sick days ‘a good start, but 10 days would be better’

May 11, 2021 | 3:33 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops and District Labour Council’s president was pleased with the B.C. government’s paid sick leave legislation.

Lois Rugg said while three paid sick days to support those affected by COVID-19 is a good start, 10 days is the ideal long-term program.

“Generally, a 10-day time period is when people get symptoms and have time to get through the illness, and recover without spreading,” Rugg said. “This paid sick leave will truly benefit some of our more vulnerable workers; people making a low income. Disproportionately, women and racialized workers are affected by not having the paid sick days.”

During his media availability on Tuesday (May 11), Premier John Horgan said the province had been working on paid sick leave legislation since 2020. He said he believes a national paid sick leave program is still in the best interest of workers and businesses, but Labour Minister Harry Bains began writing legislation when the federal government’s budget was tabled without significant change to fill in the gaps of the Canada Recovery Sick Benefit.

“There was consent from the federal government to proceed with a national program. I had every expectation that it would be successful. Clearly, it has not met the test and that’s why we’re doing the bill today,” Horgan stated.

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Rugg understood the B.C. government was waiting for the federal government to implement a sick leave program. Although 14 months after the province declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she said it would have been better to introduce a provincial program earlier.

“The provincial government was somewhat proactive when they brought in job protection,” Rugg said. “But at that time, it would have been great to have the paid sick days. It possibly could have prevented some outbreaks.”

Rugg said both governments must step to ensure there’s a long-term paid sick leave program in place, as COVID-19 and its new variants will be around for a long time.

B.C.’s three-day paid sick leave legislation lasts until Dec. 31, 2021. Horgan said the province will make improvements if the program is deemed inadequate by the new year.