A masked grocery store clerk scans juice. Text on image (flickr.com)

Media Contacts

Ministry of Labour

Media Relations
250 213-8637

Backgrounders

Survey responses

The public responses that informed the paid sick leave options were derived from the first phase of public consultation.

This consisted of surveys to gather information from employers and workers. Surveys were available from Aug. 5 to Sept. 14, 2021, in English, Chinese, Punjabi, Korean and Tagalog.

Highlights from the survey responses:

  • Many employees without access to paid sick leave reported regularly going to work sick or returning to work before fully recovering.
  • Employers and employees both reported concerns about employees coming to work sick and infecting others.
  • Approximately one-half of employees in British Columbia do not have employer-paid sick days, and those employees are more likely to be in lower-paid jobs.
  • Approximately 60% of employers do not offer employer-paid sick leave to any of their employees.
  • Of the employers that offer paid sick leave to their employees:
    • close to 45% provide three to five days per year;
    • about 25% provide six to 10 days;
    • about 20% provide more than 10 days; and
    • close to 10% provide less than three days,
  • Of those who have access to employer-paid sick leave, about 70% indicated they typically do not use all of the paid sick days they get each year.