“for a new worker who just started working this year, if you didn’t make $5,000 last year you don’t qualify,” he said.
“probably one of the most glaring deficiencies of the federal program is a provision that says you have to be off at least half of the work week. so for a monday-to-friday full-time worker, one minute after lunchtime on wednesday if you get covid symptoms and have covid, you’re not covered that week.”
cronk is calling for 10 days’ sick leave every year, to be paid by employers who would get a 75 per cent wage subsidy if they can show they endured financial hardship due to the pandemic.
over 90 per cent of workers in b.c. earning $30,000 or less a year do not have a sick-pay plan, cronk said, adding many of those are doing essential jobs in grocery stores, warehouses and food processing plants.
“workers will be going to work today, undoubtedly, with symptoms because they’re worried about the economic impact of not going to work,” cronk said.
tony singh, owner of the grocery chain fruiticana, which has 15 stores in b.c. and three in alberta, said over a third of his 60 warehouse employees have been in quarantine and he paid them all two weeks’ wages while they were off.
“they’re the ones who are running the company. they’re the ones who are making money for us,” said singh.