Paid sick days has been a hot topic throughout the coronavirus pandemic and political leaders are pitching their solutions in the lead-up to the federal election next month.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau promised 10 sick days for federally regulated employees while out on the campaign trail last week.
Read: Liberals promising 10 sick days for federally regulated employees
Meanwhile, Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole hasn’t yet made a public promise on the issue and the party’s platform makes no specific mention of paid sick days.
The New Democratic Party’s platform includes a promise to “work with the provinces to update federal standards and bring in a permanent safety net of paid sick leave across the country and to close the gap until every worker has access to paid sick days.
“We will fix the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit and keep it going until all Canadians have access to paid sick days. We’ll allow sick leave to be taken by workers one or two days at a time, give full income replacement to workers who are sick and reimburse employers instead of putting the onus on workers to apply for the program.”
Read: What are the current provincial policies on emergency, sick leave amid the coronavirus pandemic?
The Bloc Québécois platform promises to increase employment insurance sickness benefits from 15 to 50 weeks for the seriously ill.
And, while the Green Party of Canada hasn’t commented on the issue recently, a press release published on the party’s website in April said: “Canada prides itself on its health-care system, but the pandemic has highlighted serious gaps. Now it is up to us to fix those and build back a better social safety net for all.
“Whether it’s sick pay, a national long-term care strategy, universal pharmacare, dental care, passing legislation to bring in a guaranteed livable income or implementing the final recommendations of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, we can and must do better to eliminate existing inequities.”