Ontario’s temporary paid sick leave program is being extended until next summer.
The government announced on Tuesday that the program, which expires at the end of this month, will be maintained until July 31.
The program provides three days of paid sick leave to each worker, which the province says can be used for COVID-19 testing, isolation pending results or vaccinations.
The day could also be used to care for a sick loved one, get a booster COVID-19 vaccine if eligible, or get young children vaccinated, the government said on Tuesday.
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Employers are reimbursed up to $200 per day per employee through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Department, the organization that offers the program.
As of Tuesday, the government said the program had been visited by more than 235,000 people since it was introduced in April, with two days representing the average claim.
The Radical Conservative government introduced the measure in its third deadly wave of COVID-19 infections following intense pressure from health experts and advocates.
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Critics say the program does not provide enough paid sick leave, noting that it is far less than the 10 to 14 days that health experts recommend for self-isolation periods. due to COVID-19.
The government had extended the program once before in August.
News of the latest extension comes after opposition politicians called for the program to be maintained amid rising COVID-19 cases and the new threat of the Omicron variant.
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