On July 21, the Ontario government announced the extension of paid sick days to March 31, 2023.

Eligible workers can receive up to $200 a day for a maxium of three days of COVID-19-related sick time through the Infectious Disease Emergency Leave Regularion (Paid IDEL).  Prior to the extension, the Paid IDEL was scheduled to expire on July 30, 2022.

Employers will continue to be reimbursed for employees if they need to miss work for reasons related to COVID-19.  These reasons include to get tested, to await the results of a COVID-19 test, to get vaccinated, while experiencing side effects from a vaccination, to self-isolate or to provide care or support to certain relatives for COVID-19 related reasons. 

Employers must pay the employee the lesser of either $200 per day or a sum equal to: (i) the wages the employee would have earned had they not taken the leave; or (ii) if the employee receives performance-related wages, including commissions or a piece work rate, the greater of the employee’s hourly rate, if any, and the minimum wage that would have applied to the employee for the number of hours the employee would have worked had they not taken the leave.

Eligible employers may apply for a reimbursement of payments from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), up to a maximum of $200 for up to three (3) days per employee.  This program has been extended to March 31, 2023.  At Ontario COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit, Ontario provides detailed information about employer reimbursement for paid leave, as well as a link through which employers can submit a claim to the WSIB to be reimbursed.

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