On August 10, 2022, the Government of Ontario, Introduced Bill 4, Stay Home if You are Sick Act, 2022.
The Bill, makes the following amendments to the Employment Standards Act, 2000:
- Sections 50, 50.0.1 and 50.0.2, which deal with sick leave, family responsibility leave and bereavement leave, are replaced with a new section that provides for personal emergency leave due to a personal illness, injury or medical emergency, the death, illness, injury or medical emergency of a listed family member or certain urgent matters. Under the new section 50, an employee is entitled to 10 days of paid leave in a calendar year.
- Currently, section 50.1 of the act provides for unpaid leave in situations related to declared emergencies and infectious disease emergencies. That section is amended so that employees are entitled to take the first 14 days of any such leave in a calendar year as paid leave.
- Amendments to the act also require the Minister to implement a financial support program for employers to help them adapt to any increased costs associated with paid personal emergency leave under section 50, as those provisions are amended by the Bill. Payment may only be made if the Legislature has appropriated money for the purpose of the program.
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