{"id":1812,"date":"2023-02-08T07:55:22","date_gmt":"2023-02-08T15:55:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/?post_type=engagement&#038;p=1812"},"modified":"2023-03-24T13:31:55","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T20:31:55","slug":"permanent-paid-sick-leave","status":"publish","type":"engagement","link":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/permanent-paid-sick-leave\/","title":{"rendered":"Permanent Paid Sick Leave"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group engage-banner has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fbda80\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Engagement was open Jun 25 to Aug 10, 2021<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-light\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1709\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-1862\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/RS708_5903-scaled.jpg\" style=\"object-position:49% 17%\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" data-object-position=\"49% 17%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/RS708_5903-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/RS708_5903-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/RS708_5903-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/RS708_5903-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/RS708_5903-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/RS708_5903-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/RS708_5903-1200x801.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-engagement-container\"><div class=\"engagement-page\"><div class=\"engagement-content-wrapper\"><h1 class=\"engagement-title-banner \" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/themes\/bcgov-engagement\/dist\/images\/blue-curve-bg.svg)\">Permanent Paid Sick Leave<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-engagement-content\"><bcgov-breadcrumb>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\">Home<\/a>\n                      <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/\">Engagement Opportunities<\/a> \n                  <span>\n        Permanent Paid Sick Leave\n  <\/span>\n  <div style=\"display: flex\" slot=\"breadcrumb-extra\">\n      <\/div>\n  <\/bcgov-breadcrumb>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-govtogether-engagement-header\"><div class=\"text-column\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On this page&#8230;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#summary\" title=\"\">Engagement Summary<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#results\" title=\"\">Results<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who: <\/strong>Employers and employees of B.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What: <\/strong>To determine the new minimum paid sick days in B.C. under the <em>Employment Standards Act<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong> Province-wide<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why:<\/strong> To provide permanent sick leave to reduce transmission of illness and support workers, employers, and B.C.&#8217;s economic recovery<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How: <\/strong>Online survey<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-engagement_category wp-block-post-terms\"><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__prefix\"><strong>Category: <\/strong><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement_category\/economy-and-jobs\/\" rel=\"tag\">Economy and Jobs<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement_category\/law-and-public-safety\/\" rel=\"tag\">Law and Public Safety<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement_category\/multi-language\/\" rel=\"tag\">Multi-language<\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"image-column\"><span role=\"img\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"engagement-image\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/51700986153_43f9ebb89d_k.jpg);background-position:52% 23%\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns more-padding-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"summary\">Engagement Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This engagement was done in two phases:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Phase one<\/strong>: Two online surveys were available \u2013 one for employers and one for workers. (August 5 to September 14, 2021)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Phase two<\/strong>: An Options Paper was created using the results of the two surveys and was available for public comment. (September 22 to October 25, 2021)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>On November 24, 2021, government decided: as of January 1, 2022, employees covered by the <em>Employment Standards Act<\/em> are entitled to five paid sick leave days per year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"results\">Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Input Received<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Over 60,000 responses for both phases of the public engagement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>26,742 responses to Phase One \u2013 22,683 employee surveys and 4,059 employer surveys<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>33,975 responses to Phase Two \u2013 26,138 employees, 5,081 employers, and 2,756 other types of respondents (including retirees and students)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Almost 50% of employee respondents indicated they did not have access to any paid sick leave<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>62% of employer respondents reported they did not provide sick leave to any of their employees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employee respondents often reported using three to five days per year for illness; employer respondents reported similar use by their employees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employee respondents with higher incomes reported access to a greater number of paid sick days than employees with lower incomes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Respondents from Public Administration, Utilities, and Educational Services were most likely to have access to paid sick days and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Respondents from Retail, Wholesale Trade, Construction, Accommodation, Food Services, and Manufacturing were least likely to have access to any paid sick leave<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#c0c0c057\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Summary of Support for all options<\/strong><\/td><td>Employees<\/td><td>Employers<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Option 1 (3 Paid Sick Days)<\/td><td>64%<\/td><td>44%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Option 2 (5 Paid Sick Days)<\/td><td>75%<\/td><td>28%<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Option 3 (10 Paid Sick Days)<\/td><td>81%<\/td><td>19%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Government chose the second-choice option of both employees and employers: an entitlement of 5 paid days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>View the <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/02\/What-We-Heard-Report-Paid-Sick-Leave-Final-20211208.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">What We Heard Report<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/news.gov.bc.ca\/releases\/2022LBR0005-000432\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Read the Information Bulletin<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Supporting research: Panel Survey Report<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the online public engagements, a panel survey of employees across B.C. was undertaken. The online surveys were often completed by motivated members of the public with strong views on paid sick leave, but the panel survey provided a randomly sample of British Columbians and their thoughts on sick leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/02\/Panel-Survey-Report-Final-Revised-September-81.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">View the Panel Survey Report<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related engagements<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"related-engagements\">\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Infrastructure Projects Act. Categories: Economy and Jobs, Housing and Infrastructure, Natural Resources. Status: Open.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-open\">\n                                            Open                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/infrastructure\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Infrastructure Projects Act                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Economy and Jobs<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Housing and Infrastructure<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Natural Resources<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/infrastructure\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2025\/06\/AdobeStock_201965916-scaled.jpeg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Angling, Hunting, and Trapping. Categories: Economy and Jobs, Environmental Protection, Natural Resource Sector, Recreation and Tourism, Wildlife and Habitat Protection. Status: Closed.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed\">\n                                            Closed                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/angling-hunting-and-trapping\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Angling, Hunting, and Trapping                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Economy and Jobs<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Environmental Protection<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Natural Resource Sector<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Recreation and Tourism<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Wildlife and Habitat Protection<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/angling-hunting-and-trapping\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2022\/12\/52020102588_38f5f124ed_o.jpg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Legal Professions Regulatory Reform. Categories: Economy and Jobs, Law and Public Safety. Status: Closed.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed\">\n                                            Closed                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/legal-professions-reform\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Legal Professions Regulatory Reform                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Economy and Jobs<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Law and Public Safety<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/legal-professions-reform\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2023\/02\/LegalProfessions2.jpg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: AI Adoption in B.C.. Categories: Economy and Jobs. Status: Closed.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed\">\n                                            Closed                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/ai-adoption-in-bc\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        AI Adoption in B.C.                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Economy and Jobs<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/ai-adoption-in-bc\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2025\/07\/AI-Adoption-banner.jpg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: The Future of WorkBC. Categories: Economy and Jobs, Education and Training, Families and Residents. Status: Closed.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed\">\n                                            Closed                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/the-future-of-workbc\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        The Future of WorkBC                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Economy and Jobs<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Education and Training<\/span>\n                                                    <span class=\"category-pill\">Families and Residents<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/the-future-of-workbc\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2025\/05\/Employment-Services-Banner-sm-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n                                    <div class=\"govtogether-engagement-card\" aria-label=\"Engagement title: Labour Relations Code Review 2024. Categories: Economy and Jobs. Status: Closed.\">\n            <div class=\"card-header\">\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-status status-closed\">\n                                            Closed                                     <\/div>\n\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/labour-relations-code-review\/\" class=\"engagement-title\">\n                        Labour Relations Code Review 2024                <\/a>\n\n                <div class=\"engagement-categories\">\n                                                                        <span class=\"category-pill\">Economy and Jobs<\/span>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                \n            <\/div>\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/engagement\/labour-relations-code-review\/\" class=\"card-image-container\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"engagement-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/app\/uploads\/sites\/121\/2024\/02\/images-for-LRC-engagement-1.png\" \/>\n            <\/a>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-govtogether-engagement-header\"><div class=\"text-column\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"image-column\"><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1852,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","engagement_category":[252,247,447],"engagement_region":[192],"engagement_status":[207],"engagement_pin_group":[],"class_list":["post-1812","engagement","type-engagement","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","engagement_category-economy-and-jobs","engagement_category-law-and-public-safety","engagement_category-multi-language","engagement_region-province-wide","engagement_status-closed-with-results"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"pinned_engagement_toggle":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement\/1812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/engagement"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement\/1812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63907,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement\/1812\/revisions\/63907"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1852"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"engagement_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_category?post=1812"},{"taxonomy":"engagement_region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_region?post=1812"},{"taxonomy":"engagement_status","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_status?post=1812"},{"taxonomy":"engagement_pin_group","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/engage.gov.bc.ca\/govtogetherbc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/engagement_pin_group?post=1812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}