Ontario government to extend paid sick days program through July | The Canadian News

Ontario’s temporary paid sick leave program will run until next summer.

The government announced Tuesday that the program, due to expire at the end of this month, will remain in effect until July 31.

The program offers three days of paid sick leave for each worker, which, depending on the province, can be used to get tested for COVID-19, isolate while waiting for results, or get vaccinated.

The days can also be used to care for a sick relative, receive a COVID-19 booster shot if eligible, or take young children in for the vaccination, the government said Tuesday.

Employers are reimbursed up to $ 200 per day for each employee through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, which runs the program.

As of Tuesday, the government said more than 235,000 people had accessed the program since it was introduced in April, with two days representing the average claim.

The progressive conservative government introduced the measure during the third deadly wave of COVID-19 infections after intense pressure from experts and health advocates.

Critics have said the program does not offer enough paid sick leave, noting that it is far less than the 10 to 14 days that healthcare professionals recommend for a period of self-isolation due to COVID-19.

The government extended the program once before in August.

The news of the latest extension came after calls from opposition politicians to keep the program going amid mounting COVID-19 cases and the new threat from the Omicron variant.

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