TAKE ACTION

Ask the Ontario Government
to Legislate Paid Sick Days

APRIL 30, 2021 UPDATE: THANK YOU to everybody who has already sent a letter in support of Paid Sick Days for Ontario workers.

The Ontario Government has recently announced they will be implementing three days of paid sick leave for each Ontario Worker. While this is a step in the right direction, it does no go far enough to alleviate the concerns of many health experts.

Below, please find a revised letter that you are able to customize and send to the Ontario Government, asking for an improvement on their proposal for three days of temporary paid sick leave.

Despite evidence and advice from physicians and epidemiologists, as well as the overwhelming calls from constituents across the province, the Ontario Government has failed to institute sick pay for Ontario workers. Many of these employees have been working in essential jobs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic — jobs that often necessitate being onsite, among colleagues and/or the general public. Although those who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to remain home and self-isolate, many cannot afford the loss of wages and so return to work, potentially infecting co-workers and the general public.

As adherents and members of the United Church of Canada, we come from a tradition where loving God is inextricably tied to loving our neighbour. There are countless examples in sacred scripture of Jesus and the prophets needing time to rest and heal so that they might be well enough to carry on with the work at hand. In this case, loving our neighbour means providing for the time needed to rest and recover, so that our communities may remain safe from growing numbers of infection.

Read the letter sent to Premier Ford from Shining Waters Regional Council here.

Read an email from Rev. Susan Eagle, chair of the Social & Ecological Justice Commission, here.

Send a Letter to Premier Doug Ford

Three Paid Sick Days is Not Enough for Ontario Workers

Dear Premier Ford and Minister McNaughton,

Thank you for agreeing to implement legislation that would provide three paid sick days to Ontario Workers affected by COVID-19, partially closing a gap in the Canadian Recovery Sickness Benefit which requires workers to miss more than half a week of work before being able to apply for relief.
Unfortunately, three days of paid sick leave is not enough to protect employees who become ill or need to self-isolate.  
According to The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table:
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, paid sick leave has been associated with an increased likelihood of workers staying at home when symptomatic. Paid sick leave can support essential workers in following public health measures. This includes paid time off for essential workers when they are sick, have been exposed, need to self-isolate, need time off to get tested, when it is their turn to get vaccinated, and when their workplace closes due to an outbreak, with guaranteed salary payment regardless of duration of absence (minimum 2 hours, maximum 2 workweeks)."
"The existing Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) cannot financially protect essential workers in following all public health measures, places the administrative burden of applying for the benefit on essential workers, and neither provides sufficient nor timely payments."
No person should have to choose between spreading an infectious disease and feeding their family. A recent poll performed by EKOS has found that 64 percent of Ontarians support 10 days of paid sick leave. An overwhelming number of Ontario residents understand the importance of not forcing workers into unfair choices between health and wages — especially those employees with low incomes, who are disproportionately racialized, female and living with a disability.
In addition, paid sick days should not only be temporary.  While COVID-19 has made the necessity of paid sick leave acute, the need for workers to be able to stay home while ill extends beyond the current pandemic.  The Government's plans to end the guarantee of paid sick days in September is alarming.
As COVID cases continue to skyrocket, now more than ever we need to implement every ethical measure possible to contain the spread of this deadly virus. The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated: When people are ill they need to stay home and isolate. This cannot happen if they are afraid of not being able to meet their financial obligations.
As an adherent of the United Church of Canada, I come from a tradition where loving God is inextricably tied to loving our neighbour. There are countless examples in sacred scripture of Jesus and the prophets needing time to rest and heal so that they might be well enough to carry on with the work at hand. In this case, loving our neighbour means providing for the time needed to rest and recover, so that our communities may remain safe from growing numbers of infection.
Three days of paid sick leave is not enough.
Sincerely,

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cc: Andrea Horwath, MPP, Leader of the Opposition; Steven Del Duca, Leader of the Liberal Party of Ontario; Mark Schreiner, MPP, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario; Taras Natyshak, MPP; Michael Coteau, MPP; Shining Waters Regional Council

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What can I do now?

Send your letter to your local MPP. You should have received a copy to your email address. You can find the contact information for your local MPP here.
If possible, mail a paper copy of your letter to the Premier and your local MPP. We hear time and time again from politicians that paper letters are still important.
Speak to people within your community of faith about the importance of Paid Sick Days. Invite them here to submit their own letter!
Share the Legislate Paid Sick Days NOW campaign to your social media. You can use the links provided at the bottom of the petition box, or share the following graphics:

Be sure to use some hashtags! Suggestions: #swrc #uccan #paidsickdays #paidsickleave

Also, tag Premier Doug Ford, Minister Monte McNaughton, and other MPPs.

Doug Ford, MPP, Premier of Ontario
Instagram: @fordnationdougford
Facebook: @fordnation
Twitter: @fordnation

Monte McNaughton, MPP, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development
Instagram: @montemcnaughton
Facebook: @montemcnaughtonMPP
Twitter: @montemcnaughton

Ontario Progressive Conservative Party
Facebook: @OntarioPC
Twitter: @OntarioPCParty

Andrea Horwath, MPP, Leader of the Opposition
Instagram: @AndresHorwathNDP
Facebook: @AndreaHorwathONDP
Twitter: @AndreaHorwath

Steven Del Duca, Leader of the Liberal Party
Instagram: @StevenDelDuca
Facebook: @DelDucaSteven
Twitter: @StevenDelDuca

Mark Schreiner, MPP, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario
Instagram: @GreenPartyofOntario
Facebook: @GreenPartyOntario
Twitter: @OntarioGreens

Taras Natyshak, MPP, Opposition Critic for Job Creation and Economic Recovery, Ethics and Accountability
Instagram: @tnshak
Facebook: @TarasNatyshakNDP
Twitter: @TarasNatyshak

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Resources

Paid Sick Leave is a Good Idea Whose Time Has Come — Ontario Health Coalition
Benefits of Paid Sick Leave during the COVID-19 Pandemic — Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table

‘People are going to work sick:’ Third wave reignites debate over paid sick days — April 8, 2021: Orillia Matters
Ontarians strongly favour paid sick days, poll finds — April 16, 2021: Toronto Star
Science experts question new provincial rules in Ontario, lack of paid sick leave — April 17, 2020: Global News
Paid sick leave left out of Ontario government’s 2021 budget — March 24, 2021: Global News

For more information contact:

JEFFREY DALE

Minister, Justice and Faith Formation

Phone: 416-231-7680 | 1-800-268-3781
Extension: 6773
Email: jdale@united-church.ca

Serves in: Shining Waters Regional Council and Canadian Shield Regional Council

Location: Teleworks and works in the Guthrie office

Role: Jeffrey encourages and connects communities of faith with matters of faith and justice and the regional council in youth and young adult ministry and matters of faith formation and liaises with the General Council in this regard.

Contact Jeffrey about: Affirming Ministry; Camping Ministries; Faith Formation; Guaranteed Income; Harm Reduction; Homelessness; Poverty; Social and Eco-justice; Worship and Music; Youth and Young Adult Ministry, United Church Women (UCW)

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Aren't there already sick days in Ontario?

Currently, every Ontario worker who has been employed for two weeks is entitled to three unpaid sick days per year .

Why do Ontarians need paid sick days?

Many workers choose to continue working when they have symptoms of COVID-19, or other illnesses, and will not even get themselves tested. These workers cannot afford to give up any of their income and fear losing their jobs — despite labour laws that currently exist.

This is especially true for precarious and underpaid workers in some manufacturing sectors and in retail, as well as for many essential health-care workers, notably personal support workers in long-term care.

What about the federal Canadian Recovery Sickness Benefit?

While the federal government has implemented the Canadian Recovery Sickness Benefit, it is not available to all Ontario workers. An employee must have missed more than half a week of work in order to qualify. In addition, the time between application and dispersal of funds can be upwards of six to eight weeks. Ontarians need assurance that their wages will continue without disruption when they are ill and need to stay home.

Will legislated paid sick days harm small businesses?

“Paying people to stay home when they’re sick is crucial to public health and a safe workplace,” said Jessica Carpinone, owner of Bread By Us, a bakery and café in Ottawa that’s offered paid sick days since opening seven years ago.

Carpinone joined fellow business owners at an online news conference on Wednesday, providing accounts of how providing paid sick leave is good for businesses, employees and communities. The business owners are members of the Better Way Alliance, an organization that describes itself as a growing movement of businesses that support decent wages, paid sick days and fair scheduling laws.

The group urged the government to pass Bill 239, the Stay Home If You Are Sick Act, a private member’s bill that has passed first reading.

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/business-owners-paid-sick-leave-ontario-government-better-way-alliance-1.5907723