(With files by Darin Bain-MyPGNow)
Employers and workers throughout BC are reminded that starting Saturday, January 1st, eligible employees are entitled to a minimum of five paid sick days.
According to the province, employees are eligible if they have worked for the organization for at least 90 days.
“Until now, about half of B.C. workers have been unable to stay home when sick without losing wages,” said Minister of Labour Harry Bains.
“Many of those are lower-paid workers who can least afford to lose the money and, as a result, end up going to work sick. Paid sick leave is the right thing to do, and it is now in British Columbia permanently.”
A comprehensive public consultation process informed government’s decision to set the minimum paid sick leave at five days. The province says experiences in other jurisdictions that have mandated paid sick leave have shown cost increases for most companies were less than expected.
According to the province, more than one-million workers in BC did not have access to paid sick leave.