Daniel Lublin, an Employment Lawyer, talks with CP24 about paid sick leaves in Ontario.

Q: What is the difference between provincial and federal guidelines?

The federal government will pay the people $500/week for up to 4 weeks but there are some restrictions on that. You have to have worked for a period of time, earned some money prior to the day of the claim, and that is if you actually have COVID-19 or have to isolate because of COVID-19.

However, the provincial government doesn’t offer paid sick leave. One can take time off but it is unpaid.

Q: What is the law around sick leaves in Ontario?

You can take time off if you’re sick but it’s unpaid time. Ontario is not the only province that does it that way. Almost all the jurisdictions in Canada are not paying paid sick leave except for Quebec and employees who work for federally regulated employers.

Q: Who should pay for the paid sick leaves – the feds or the province?

Advocates are advocating for universal paid sick leave. If there is going to be paid sick leave, it should be targeted to people who are actually at work and not for remote workers; it probably should have something to do with the amount of money someone is making.

Q: What about people in Ontario who need time off from work to get vaccinated; should they be offered paid time off for vaccination?

A lot of employers are definitely encouraging their employees to get vaccinated to improve the conditions for everyone around us and it is the responsible thing to do.

To better understand your workplace rights and explore the viability of a claim during these unprecedented times, we encourage employees and employers to seek legal advice. We at Whitten & Lublin are happy to provide insight and advice into your specific circumstances. If you are looking for employment lawyers and would like more information about what Whitten & Lublin can do for you, please contact us online or by phone at (416) 640-2667 today.