COMMENTARY: How important are paid sick days?

Employer-paid sick leave is making headlines across Canada. The New Brunswick Common Front for Social Justice recommends adding 10 job-protected annual paid sick days to the Employment Standards Act, no matter the reason behind the leave. Currently, under the Act, workers with the same employer for 90 days get five unpaid days of leave per year.

Last December, David Coon, Leader of the Green Party, introduced Bill 27, a bill to provide up to 10 paid sick days to workers, as well as financial assistance for employers to cover the cost of those days, if they need it. During question period, Trevor Holder, Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, said the government is interested in pursuing this option. The Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Law Amendments. 

Paid sick days are necessary to protect the health and safety of workers and workplaces, and to help contain the spread of COVID-19, viruses and influenza. Various international conventions recognize the importance of paid sick leave, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Three provinces offer permanent paid sick days: Prince Edward Island, Québec and British Columbia. New Brunswick should join these leaders in offering better working conditions!

Paid sick leave not only allows workers to take time off without worrying about the stress associated with paying bills, but it also benefits employers. Employees with access to paid medical leave are more likely to return to work and work longer in jobs. Paid sick days decrease turnover rates and lower employer recruitment and training costs. Workers being able to take time off to recover from illness also means they are less likely to be performing work while tired or with limited capacity, reducing workplace injuries.

Allowing individuals time to care for themselves during illness makes for a speedy recovery and reduces the likelihood of relying on government-provided care and thus reducing healthcare costs. Paid sick leave also helps alleviate poverty and prevents vulnerability of workers and their families to falling behind on expenses. Poverty prevention and reduction has positive effects on the overall economy and society in terms of purchasing power, gross domestic product (GDP) growth, and reduced poverty-related expenditures.

When there are paid sick days, everyone benefits: workers, employers and the entire province!