For information only and not an endorsement – this information is shared to ensure members have the context and understanding of current issues that impact the Construction Industry.
BC Fed Website | July 9, 2020 | Health, Safety, and Compensation
(Unceded Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam territories — Vancouver, BC) — With workplace COVID-19 outbreaks fresh in the minds of political leaders and the public alike, the BCFED has released a plan to ensure paid sick leave for every worker in British Columbia.
The BCFED proposal calls for a minimum of three days of paid sick leave per year for every worker — full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary and casual, regardless if they are in a union or not. Workers get more sick leave based on the hours they work, up to a maximum of 10 total days of paid sick leave every year. An employee on sick leave would receive their full wages or salary, paid by the employer.
The plan also calls for 10 days of paid leave specifically earmarked for COVID-19, covering workers who contract the disease, who have to self-isolate, or who need to care for a loved one who has the virus. (Workers who contract COVID-19 at work are already eligible to make a WCB claim.)
The BCFED plan also allows for an additional 16 weeks of unpaid sick leave once an employee has used up their paid leave, during which their job will be protected and their employer can’t fire them.
The BCFED launched a campaign website to promote the paid sick leave plan at WorkingSickIsntWorking.ca, inviting British Columbians to sign an open letter to Premier John Horgan and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau supporting the proposal.