Paid Infectious Disease Emergency Leave Ending March 31, 2023

On March 23, 2023, the Ontario government tabled its 2023 Ontario Budget: Building a Strong Ontario. Of significance to employers, the Budget announced that the paid Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (Paid IDEL) will expire on March 31, 2023.

By way of background, the Paid IDEL is a form of paid leave available under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) where an employee is unable to work for reasons related to COVID-19. This would include, for example, when an employee is under individual medical investigation, supervision, or treatment, or when an employee is required to provide care or support to a specified family member. Eligible employees are entitled to a maximum of three days of Paid IDEL, although the number of days may have been reduced depending on an employee's contractual entitlements.