The new Canada Sickness Benefit

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/11/2020 (928 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thanks to a deal struck by Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the federal New Democratic Party, the federal government recently announced its plan for national paid sick leave, which will be delivered through the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit. If you are sick, but can’t afford to take time off, you don’t have to compromise anymore — you can now stay home and continue earning money for you and your family, without repercussion from your employer.                           

How will Manitobans benefit? Manitoba workers who do not already receive paid sick leave from their employer will have access to $500 a week for up to two weeks total if they meet certain requirements, including being unable to work at least 50 per cent of their scheduled work week for one of several reasons. These reasons are:

• You are sick with COVID-19 or may have COVID-19;
• You are advised to self-isolate due to COVID-19 by your employer, the government or a medical professional; or
• You have an underlying health condition that puts yourself at greater risk of getting COVID-19, as advised by the government or medical professional.

When can Manitobans access this benefit? Manitobans can apply right now up until Sept. 25, 2021.

To apply/for more information please visit the page titled Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit on the Government of Canada website: www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-sickness-benefit.html

There is also a benefit for people who cannot work due to having to care for a family member due to COVID-related reasons. To apply or for more information visit the page titled Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit on the Government of Canada website: www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-caregiving-benefit.html

These benefits come at an especially important time as cases in Manitoba continue to increase and more people are having to stay home and self-isolate.

Please continue to follow public health orders and remain vigilant with mask wearing, social distancing, hand-washing and keeping your social circle as small as possible. It will take all Manitobans co-operation in order for our case numbers to decrease.

Should you be experiencing symptoms, please go get tested. There is a newly opened drive-thru testing site at the MPI building located in the Polo Park area at 125 King Edward St., open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Another site is the Thunderbird House testing site, located downtown at 715 Main St. and open from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

For questions, comments or concerns I can be reached at malaya.marcelino@yourmanitoba.ca or over the phone at 204-788-0800.

Malaya Marcelino
Notre Dame constituency report

Malaya Marcelino is the NDP MLA for Notre Dame.

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