Lior Samfiru on low-income employees and paid sick days

The Ontario government’s recent paid sick leave implementation has created confusion and concern for some employees across the province. Critics of the new program have stated for lower-income employees, it might not be enough.

Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru, co-founding partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, agrees. His review and criticism of the new sick leave was featured in the Law Times.

“The temporary plan that Ontario announced and passed last week falls short of where it needs to be to provide meaningful support to those workers hardest hit by the pandemic,” Samfiru states. While a federal program exists for employees who have to follow health and safety measures, an employee cannot access benefits from the province’s worker benefits program and from the Canada Response Sickness Benefit program in the same week.

Samfiru goes on to explain that the program pays less than the federal program for workers earning less than $43,000, or $165 per day. Employees will receive less compensation by accessing Ontario benefits.

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In order to offer better solutions for low-income employees, Samfiru urges the Ontario government to directly pay employees instead of reimbursing employers and to offer more than three paid sick days to affected employees.