Alberta worker advocacy group applauds Ottawa's 10-day sick leave bill, calls on province to follow suit

Alberta's largest worker advocacy group wants the province to 'step up' and provide paid sick leave after Ottawa announced the measure for federally-regulated employees.

Alberta's largest worker advocacy group wants the province to "step up" and provide paid sick leave after Ottawa announced the measure for federally-regulated employees.

On Friday, the federal government announced it would grant 10 paid sick days for sectors regulated by Ottawa — one day after B.C. announced legislation allowing five paid sick days for all workers in that province.

Tabled as part of Bill C-3, the legislation would update the Canada Labour Code to replace personal leave for illness or injury with 10 days of paid medical leave to workers in federally-regulated private sectors — like Crown corporations, banking, telecommunications, or broadcasting — that do not currently have sick leave coverage.

Personal leave would remain in the labour code but could be taken for other reasons.

Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan Jr. said that workers should not face the choice of going to work sick or being able to put food on the table and pay for rent.

"We want to see paid sick leave implemented across the country in all sectors because the cost of inaction is too great," O'Regan added. "It's time to close the gap that the pandemic exposed in our social safety net."

"Paid sick leave will protect workers and their families, protect their jobs, and protect their workplaces. It's an important step in the fight against COVID-19."