Government Of Canada Takes A Step Toward Making 10 Days Of Paid Sick Leave A Reality

No one should have to choose between staying home when they’re sick or being able to afford rent and groceries. However, as the pandemic has highlighted, too many Canadians have little or no access to paid sick leave. On December 17, 2021, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code (Bill C-3) received Royal Assent. This bill amends Part III of the Canada Labour Code to provide 10 days of paid sick leave to federally regulated private sector workers.

Today, the Minister of Labour, Seamus O’Regan Jr., announced that the Government of Canada has reached an important milestone in the process to make 10 days of paid sick leave a reality. The draft regulations that will support implementation of paid sick leave are now available online for comment in Part I of the Canada Gazette.

Employers, employer representatives, unions, workers, and other key stakeholders are invited to share their feedback on the proposed Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Canada Labour Code (Medical Leave with Pay) by August 15, 2022.

The Government is looking for input on various elements of the new paid sick leave provisions, such as:

• the regular rate of wages for employees who are not paid on the basis of time or who work irregular hours;
• the eligibility for paid sick leave for employees who have multiple employers; and
• the enforcement mechanism and promotion of compliance with the new provisions.

Following the consultation period, the regulations will be finalized and published in Part II of the Canada Gazette in the fall. They are currently planned to come into force on December 1, 2022, along with the legislation.

These amendments to the Canada Labour Code represent a permanent change that will improve working conditions for the nearly 1 million workers in the federally regulated private sector.

“Workers deserve 10 days of paid sick leave. It will protect them, their jobs, their families, close a gap in our social safety net and be a positive legacy of the pandemic. We’ll have to work with provinces, territories, workers and employers to get this right and make it a reality for all Canadians. I welcome all interested parties to provide input on the proposed regulations, which will help us bring this important piece of legislation into force.” – Minister of Labour, Seamus O’Regan Jr.