Activist group calls for paid sick days

The Halifax Workers’ Action Centre is calling on the government to make paid sick days mandatory across all jobs in Nova Scotia, especially as the novel coronavirus spreads.

Lisa Cameron, an organizer of HWAC, said workers without paid sick days are often pressed to make a decision based on their financial status.

“The worker is sort of forced to choose between their livelihood or going to work ill and then exposing their coworkers, or in some cases the public, to that illness,” said Cameron, who said most people without paid sick days are low-income workers.

“A day off of work for them can have quite a financial impact, especially when you consider things like how low the minimum wage is, so those workers are much more likely to have to go into work when they’re sick,” she said.

In September 2018, the NDP introduced a bill that would allow employees to accumulate half of a paid sick day per month, but it didn’t pass the first reading.

Labour Minister Labi Kousoulis said paid sick days come with pros and cons. “We just asked our employers right now, with our minimum-wage increase, to pay each employee who’s at minimum wage $2,000 (more). That also has a ripple effect, which puts pressure on people who make more, so in terms of what we’re pushing the private sector in, this would be another pressure on them.”

Kousoulis hopes employers are using common sense, adding if employees aren’t being treated well, they have options.

He said the Labour Department is working with Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, to respond appropriately to the novel coronavirus.

Meanwhile, said Cameron, “I think the coronavirus is generating some really important conversations because obviously if the coronavirus passes, we’re still going to be left with very inadequate legislation or unwell workers. Hopefully this coronavirus can be an opportunity for the government to pass these regulations.”