In the midst of a busy flu season, the smooth functioning of the healthcare system is critical to the protection of population health, especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women and children.
At the beginning of 2017, there were a number of news reports detailing overcrowded emergency departments. This overcrowding has resulted in spirited discussions about how to resolve a systemic health system problem.
In Ontario, hundreds of health providers have been calling for one particular, proven strategy to prevent the spread and worsening of acute illnesses: paid sick days.
A study by the Public Health Agency of Canada reports that when people cannot afford to take time off, they continue to show up to their jobs, even in high-risk settings such as food services or childcare environments.
Situations like these fuel the threat of public health outbreaks that compromise public health and put greater burdens on the healthcare system.
Paid sick days are associated with reduced emergency room visits, as people can seek appropriate care at early stages in their illnesses, rather than rush to the hospital when they reach a crisis point.
Paid sick days may help prevent high rates of long-term absenteeism that result from working while sick. Workers with paid sick leave are more likely to get vaccinated against the flu; conversely, those without paid sick days are more likely to get the flu during outbreaks.
Unfortunately, approximately 1.6 million Ontario workers aren’t entitled to even one job-protected sick day, never mind a sick day with pay.
When employees are empowered to take time to heal from sickness, productivity in the workplace is maintained by protecting other staff members from contagions and reducing overall workplace infections.
Sick employees tend to be less productive and represent a transmission risk. Without the option of paid sick leave, a culture of “presentee-ism” can emerge, in which employees feel pressured to work even when not at their best. This, in turn, can fuel the transmission of illness and encourage employees to return to work before they’re fully recovered.
Paid sick days have benefits for employers as well: paid sick day policies are linked to decreased employee turnover and improved business productivity.
Without legislated paid sick days, too many workers are forced to go to work while ill, for fear of losing income—or worse yet—losing their jobs.
Legislated paid sick days can address this public health threat directly. With final recommendations from the Changing Workplaces Review expected soon, we could see improvements to Ontario’s labour laws for the first time in decades. Recommending legislation for paid sick days within that review is the first step to protecting workers and improve health.
One of the Canada’s most treasured values is our public investment in, and commitment to, an accessible health care system. Ontario policy-makers must recognize that “politics is medicine on a larger scale,” and introduce labour legislation that ensures the well-being of workers and our health systems.
Health, labour and the economy are deeply interrelated. To ensure that these crucial systems function at their highest capacity, people must be able to rest, heal and restore themselves without fear of expulsion or penalization from their employers.
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I am employed on contract with St. Michael’s Hospital (the home of Healthy Debate), in a job that is .8 FTE (30/hrs per week). I receive no paid sick days here (by contrast, my previous employer offered 10 paid sick days/yr, in the same job field and employment conditions- contract at .8FTE). I was shocked this past fall when I feel ill with both the flu and strep throat and realized that the health care organization employing me expected that I either forgo pay or continue to be present while sick. This is cause for shame on the organization.
Yes, all true and we all know it. Unfortunately the more I carefully read the Employment Standards Act the clearer it becomes that the ESA is in place to protect the employers rather then the employees. Employers currently have the right to give their employees as many paid or unpaid sick days as the wish. But they will never willingly do so. Especially large companies/corporations. So… try to get our Canadian lawmakers to put the type of laws in place that wourd make paid sick days mandatory… good luck
This is a great article and I support it. The other big issue is employers requiring medical notes for every illness. This forces mildly sick people to strain the health system. When they should really just be at home resting. I believe this is another big issue that needs addressed in labour laws.
This would be amazing. I don’t have sick leave at work and with this flu going around I pray I don’t catch it. I’d have to go to work sick.
Great article. Thank you
This is an important and valid submission. I totally agree with the concept of paid sick days for all of the reasons stated above.
Coming into a work environment with symptoms of illness and ill health is disturbing for everyone who is forced to share that space.
If you act responsibly and do everything you can to achieve good health, and share space with someone who is spewing their sick germs via coughing particles into the air, spreading infection by hand to mouth or hand to hand contact, touching their nose or making contact with materials that must be shared (door knobs, telephones, paper reports and books, etc.) or sometimes just breathing the same air, your effort will be thwarted and you will likely succumb to sickness as well.
Time, efficiency and money will be lost due to illness. This costly for everyone, discouraging and unfair.
Good health is not an option without paid sick days.
Good health should be a human right, and available to everyone. Great article Anne!
Great article I believe paid sick days would be benefical to the overall society health. Totally agree. I hope that this will come to pass.