Paid sick leave for employees in B.C.

[rustled]

So are we talking about actual sick days or a few extra paid days off for those who aren't really sick ?

I wondered the same thing. emc group's employer figured the cost of paid personal days into their product/service, and offered that as part of their employment package while hiring. Forcing all employers to pay people not to work for five days a year is a different kettle of fish.

I'd thought the rationale for making employers pay people to stay home when they're sick was that some people go to work sick because they can't afford to stay home. If that employee uses up their personal days going skiing or motorcycling and wakes up with the sniffles, seems to me they'd simply do what they would have done before the government-mandated employer-funded sick days: go to work anyway, because they can't afford not to.

[seewood]

Perhaps the employee could agree to a small amount of $ at source deduction and the employer do a similar amount so when a sick day is required, both pay. Kind of like a sick insurance?

I'm not a fan of small employers having to pay for 5 sick days completely out of their pockets. Ski hill gets 8 inches of fresh powder on a Tuesday...

[alanjh595]

So are we talking about actual sick days or a few extra paid days off for those who aren't really sick ?

I wondered the same thing. emc group's employer figured the cost of paid personal days into their product/service, and offered that as part of their employment package while hiring. Forcing all employers to pay people not to work for five days a year is a different kettle of fish.

I'd thought the rationale for making employers pay people to stay home when they're sick was that some people go to work sick because they can't afford to stay home. If that employee uses up their personal days going skiing or motorcycling and wakes up with the sniffles, seems to me they'd simply do what they would have done before the government-mandated employer-funded sick days: go to work anyway, because they can't afford not to.

I am wondering if employers might start offering pay in leu for any unused "sick days" or add them to their regular annual vacation time.
I believe that this new law will directly affect all new hires' wages and bonus' as well as all existing employees and their advancement up the pay scale.

[Boosted632]

Perhaps the employee could agree to a small amount of $ at source deduction and the employer do a similar amount so when a sick day is required, both pay. Kind of like a sick insurance?

I'm not a fan of small employers having to pay for 5 sick days completely out of their pockets. Ski hill gets 8 inches of fresh powder on a Tuesday...

Exactly my point I've seen this happen first hand just another tax on small business

[MalaPropina]

The last year and a half has given most workers and employers a heightened awareness of people showing up sick. They're taking a gamble that workers won't be crappy humans and take advantage.

Where I work, if you take more than 3 days off due to illness they require a doctor's note. If one uses their sick days for personal reasons then actually gets sick and calls in or gets sent home then they are SOL and get zero sympathy.

Hopefully there's enough people out there who have respect for their employers, co-workers, their jobs and themselves that they won't take advantage. And hopefully there are consequences for those that do.

[Babba_not_Gump]

So are we talking about actual sick days or a few extra paid days off for those who aren't really sick ?

Yes.

[Boosted632]

I have a friend who has a lazy union job with "sick" days and it always amazes me how often he has some form of illness on a Friday of a long weekend must be a coincidence I guess because people wouldn't abuse their sick days.

[JLives]

It's kinda sad that people jump to potential abuse right away. This is going to help so many people and reduce illness spread in workplaces. Obviously some people will abuse it, as is human nature, but so many more will benefit.

[Even Steven]

Does anybody know if these 5 days would be in addition to PTO days in people's contracts?

Say I'm starting a new job next week, I've negotiated 5 weeks of PTO, so 35 days. Does it mean next year, I'll have 35 PTO days + 5 sick days?

[fluffy]

I have a friend who has a lazy union job...

Somehow I think that would have more accurately worded as "a lazy friend who has a union job".

[OKkayak]

There's a flip side to that.

Raise minimum wage - why is everything getting expensive?

Introduce holidays - why is everything getting expensive?

Introduce new tax- why is everything getting expensive?

Because I want my 20% on the bottom line no matter what, so if the costs go up, do does the price.

There's a flip side to that:

Everything gets expensive regardless, at least in Canada - every and any reason to jack up prices is the name of the game here

Somehow I think that would have more accurately worded as "a lazy friend who has a union job".

Does anybody know if these 5 days would be in addition to PTO days in people's contracts?

Say I'm starting a new job next week, I've negotiated 5 weeks of PTO, so 35 days. Does it mean next year, I'll have 35 PTO days + 5 sick days?

I don't think so, since that contract will already meet or exceed the changes to the Employment Standards Act - but it could be a negotiating point when the contract is up for renewal. If you have a contract that specifically states any changes will be added to your existing contract, I would think that your 35 days stays at 35 days until you renegotiate.

[Boosted632]

I have a friend who has a lazy union job...

Somehow I think that would have more accurately worded as "a lazy friend who has a union job".

No it's your typical government dog lazy union job, we've done contract work for them many times because in a nutshell it's the only way the job will get done. I'm betting every single one of them use every sick day because it's use them or lose them, they can't bank them or get paid out so guess what happens 4day long weekends and great powder days

[Babba_not_Gump]

Somehow I think that would have more accurately worded as "a lazy friend who has a union job".

No it's your typical government dog lazy union job, we've done contract work for them many times because in a nutshell it's the only way the job will get done. I'm betting every single one of them use every sick day because it's use them or lose them, they can't bank them or get paid out so guess what happens 4day long weekends and great powder days

More than enough scammers in BCGEU jobs.
A normal day is seven hours, less two fifteen minute coffee breaks. But they do get a 30 minute lunch for which they are not paid.

[motokelowna1]

Coming from the land down-under as long as I had worked, there had always been paid sick days 10 in total. Yes some take advantage but most were honest. It was all costed in and there were benefits all the way around. The employer would not need to find a fill in due to honesty .
Companies would even pay out at years end your sick days if you had not used any. Some places were accumulative and payable at end of service . You also have the honesty system as any long weekends or holidays if you claimed a sick day you would actually need a doctors certificate to prove it.

It works when I left my job after 10 years I was paid out 15 weeks extra on my redundancy package Yippe for me/

[Even Steven]

Everything gets expensive regardless,

Lol regardless? For no reason? Hell no. For example in the business that I recently sold, the 5 paid days off would cost me around $10,000. Not a huge amount but that's the amount dipping into my bottom line, so I would raise the rates to counter this and other rising costs. Because I have to protect my bottom line, my 20% profitability. So no, prices don't rise regardless, they rise for a reason, and this is one of them.

I don't think so, since that contract will already meet or exceed the changes to the Employment Standards Act - but it could be a negotiating point when the contract is up for renewal. If you have a contract that specifically states any changes will be added to your existing contract, I would think that your 35 days stays at 35 days until you renegotiate.

God dang it, now I'm definitely missing out lol.