By Chris Brown

Partially funded by federal program

NDP calls for 10 days of paid sick leave to reduce COVID-19 spread

Apr 27, 2021 | 11:15 AM

Alberta’s NDP is proposing up to 10 days of paid sick leave for workers who need to stay home to care for themselves or a dependent.

The party says people shouldn’t have to choose between their paycheque and the health of them or their family.

“Our proposal means everyone who should stay home, can stay home,” says NDP Leader Rachel Notley. “And they can stay home with any loss or interruption of their income.”

Under the proposal, an isolating worker would continue to be paid through their employer, who would be reimbursed by the provincial government. The plan would replace, and be partially funded by, the federal Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit. The federal program only offers $500 a week for four weeks, and the application and processing times means a lengthy delay is getting the money to the worker.

“There are parts of Alberta where you can’t even get a test for five days,” Notley says. “Many families simply can’t wait weeks without an income.”

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Notley says allowing people to stay will reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.

The party can’t put a full cost on the program, saying it would depend on COVID infection rates. But it could be partially funded by taking Alberta’s share of the federal program, worth $35 million.

Two weeks of average Alberta wages is just over $2,500, which is a small fraction of the $50,000 cost of a person hospitalized and admitted to the ICU.