The ins and outs of employers providing paid sick leave

In December, MPP Peggy Sattler introduced a private member’s bill that proposed paid sick leave for all workers in Ontario during the pandemic and after. The Stay Home If You Are Sick Act would give every worker 10 personal emergency leave days, of which seven are paid, in a calendar year. It would also provide workers another 14 days of paid leave in the event of an infectious disease emergency.

While this Act has not passed and it is unlikely that it will, many still believe that paid sick days are a necessity during the pandemic. Here’s what businesses need to consider before deciding to provide paid sick days:

> How many sick days should businesses provide? What will they need to do to implement the change? Companies can choose how many sick days they offer and whether they are paid, however they must meet the minimum employment standards of the province they are operating in. For example, if provincial employment standards legislation requires businesses to provide a certain number of sick days, employers must fulfil this as a minimum. Businesses may, however, choose to provide more and provide pay for those days.

If businesses were to start providing additional sick days or paid sick days, they would need to create/update their workplace policies and update the information in their employee handbooks.

All changes should be clearly communicated to staff and any relevant information should be easily accessible.

> What are the benefits of providing paid sick leave? Paid sick leave protects the workplace by preventing the spread of illness. Employees who do not have paid sick days may not be able to afford missing out on pay and may come in to work even if they are sick. This can have further repercussions for the business if more employees get sick and have to miss work as a result. Having workers stay home to get rest when they are sick will also help them recover and get back to regular productivity levels faster.

Providing paid sick leave can improve employees’ satisfaction with their job. This benefit demonstrates that the employer cares for their workers’ well-being and understands that they will need rest and time off when they get sick.

Companies that value their employees’ well-being and invest into it are also more competitive workplaces. People want to work in places that put employees first. Providing paid sick days can boost the company’s reputation in the eyes of its workers. This not only improves employee-employer relations, but it can also help reduce turnover.

> Why might providing paid sick days be a challenge for businesses? Some employers might be worried about workers abusing their leave entitlements and using them as days off when they aren’t really sick or unwell. If multiple workers start doing this, it could be very costly for the business.

Furthermore, businesses that are already financially strained by the pandemic might find providing paid sick leave an additional burden. For some, it might even be deciding factor in whether they can continue operating. Andrew Caldwell is one of Peninsula Canada’s 24-7 employer advice line team leads. As a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP), Andrew specializes in employment relations, employment standards, recruitment and employee engagement.

Having workers stay home to get rest when they are sick will also help them recover and get back to regular productivity levels faster