Opposition MLAs worry P.E.I. government might abandon paid sick leave legislation

With the flu and COVID-19 making the rounds this winter, Island workers are still waiting for answers on when they'll get access to more paid sick leave days.

In November, the P.E.I. Liberals saw an opposition bill they proposed to expand paid sick days pass, but not before the governing Progressive Conservatives amended parts of it. 

One aspect the PCs removed was a requirement that the changes in the bill be implemented within six months. Now it's at the discretion of the government, meaning the Liberals have no idea when the legislation they themselves proposed will come into effect. 

Interim Liberal leader Hal Perry said he's still unclear as to why P.E.I. Minister of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population Jenn Redmond removed that requirement for action within six months.   

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"It was very difficult to get clarity on it and I think she was unable to articulate the reasons why they made these amendments and totally gutted our bill," said Perry.

"We have to make sure that Island workers do not have to make that choice between their health and their livelihoods." 

No timeline known

In an emailed statement to CBC News on Monday, the province said the changes to the Employment Standards Act will come into effect once the bill that contained them is proclaimed — but the government didn't offer a timeline for when Island workers who could benefit from more paid sick days will actually get them. 

"To ensure the smoothest implementation process as possible, the Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population needs time to map out and implement the next operational steps with impacted stakeholders," a spokesperson for the province wrote.

"Advanced notice to employers will be provided so that they may make the necessary operational adjustments, such as to their payroll system."

Employees in P.E.I. are currently entitled to one paid sick day per year after five years on the job.

The Liberals wanted to increase that to five each year, but their bill, as amended by the PCs, would give Islanders one paid sick day after 12 months on the job and two days after 24 months with the same employer, maxing out at three days a year after someone has spent 36 months at a workplace.

Third time's the charm?

The bill passed in November was the opposition parties' third attempt in the past two years to expand paid sick leave for Prince Edward Islanders. 

In 2022, the P.E.I. Greens introduced a bill that would have given workers 10 paid sick days per year, but that was voted down.

A year earlier, federal legislation had come into force requiring 10 paid sick days annually for workers in federally regulated industries like banks, airlines, ports, telecommunications and rail transport. 

But workers outside those industries lagged far behind in most cases.

Interim Green Party leader Karla Bernard said it would be "nice to know" when the amended Liberal bill will be rolled out. 

"I've heard it referred to as a piece of legislation that's more like Frankenstein — kind of pieced together," she said. "If you put a timeline on something, it shows that you've given some consideration to how long it might take to implement.

"'Given no timeline' suggests to me that it isn't really a priority." 

A recent government-led review of the Employment Standards Act also recommended that workers receive three paid sick days per year — but that was the only recommendation the review panel couldn't reach consensus on.

'Better than nothing, but not near enough'

So, why is the number of paid sick days so contentious? 

"That's a good question for the premier," said Perry. "They have the majority in the legislature. They unanimously as a caucus voted against our original bill by supporting the gutting and the new amendments put forward by the minister during our last session."

Because there's no deadline to move ahead with the legislation, the opposition parties say they're worried that the government will simply choose not to. 

Both the Liberals and Greens said they'll continue to question the PCs on the bill's implementation when the legislature resumes in late February, and perhaps ask the government to make new amendments. 

"One of the reasons that you have paid sick days is to ensure the workplace stays healthy," said Bernard, pointing out that a worker dragging into work while contagious puts colleagues at risk.

"One day is better than nothing, but could we not have done a little bit better for Islanders? This is better than nothing but not near enough."