Ontario is extending a temporary paid sick leave program for workers until the end of this year.
Labour Minister Monte McNaughton announced that the coronavirus pandemic program set to expire on Sept. 25 will be extended to Dec. 31, 2021. He said the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant prompted the move to give more time for people to get vaccinated and support infected workers.
Read: Ontario giving employees three paid sick days, reimbursing employers
The province introduced three paid days of sick leave in April to accommodate self-isolation requirements during the pandemic, reimbursing employers up to $200 per day for what they pay out.
Critics, however, have panned the policy as insufficient to effectively curb the spread of the coronavirus in workplaces. Opposition parties noted at the time that three days falls short of the 10 to 14 days health officials recommend for self-isolation when infected with the coronavirus.
Read: Ontario’s paid sick leave program costing less than expected