COVID-19 Sick Leave Reimbursement Application: Action Requested
In the early months of the pandemic, it was discovered that COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces were largely due to workers facing pressure to come in sick because they would not be paid to stay home.
To reduce the transmission of COVID-19, new legislation was recently introduced that allows BC workers to take up to three days of paid sick time for reasons related to COVID-19.
These reasons include:
• Being diagnosed with the illness
• Waiting for test results
• Self-isolating
• And following a public health order
As of May 20, 2021, employers are required to pay workers their full wages if a COVID-19 sick day is needed. If an employer does not currently have a paid sick-leave program in place, they will be reimbursed by the Province up to $200 per day for each worker.
The reimbursement program is available for sick leave taken from May 20, 2021, until the program ends on December 31, 2021. If you are an employer, you may be eligible to benefit from this program.
Get your application started today by following the simple instructions below.
How to apply
The BC Government’s COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Reimbursement Program is being administered through WorkSafeBC, and the application is now available on their online-services portal. In order to apply for the reimbursement, employers must:
• Be registered for WorkSafeBC insurance coverage
• Have signed up for WorkSafeBC’s online services
• Not have an existing paid sick-leave program
Watch this short video for instructions on how to sign up for WorkSafeBC’s online services, or visit their website.
For more information about the program, visit the BC Government’s COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Reimbursement Program web page.