On May 11, 2021, the British Columbia provincial government
tabled new legislation seeking further amendments to the British
Columbia Employment Standards Act (ESA) that, if
passed, will provide workers with up to three days of paid sick
leave. The "made-in-B.C. paid sick leave" program will
apply during COVID-19, with a permanent program beginning in
2022.
PAID SICK LEAVE DURING COVID-19
The amendment seeks to add a section to the ESA entitling
workers to up to three (3) days of paid sick leave related to
COVID-19, for reasons such as having symptoms, self-isolating and
waiting for a test result. The leave is in addition to the three
(3) days of unpaid leave already available to
workers under the ESA. The provincial government stated that the
new paid leave is meant to bridge the gap for workers between when
they first feel sick and when they can access the federal Canada
Recovery Sickness Benefit. The section will be effective from the
date the bill receives
