How many Canadian workers have access to paid sick leave?

October 26, 2023

A lot of employees did not have access to paid sick leave (PSL) nearly three decades ago and, despite some changes, many are still left waiting for this benefit, according to a recent report from Statistics Canada (StatCan).

Roughly two-thirds of Canadian men (63.4 per cent) and women (65.1 per cent) have access to PSL in 2022. These numbers are up from 56.6 per cent and 54.8 per cent, respectively, in 1995.

“Not only is working while sick detrimental to the sick employee, it can also harm colleagues in the case of contagious illness,” said Samuel MacIsaac and René Morissette, with the Social Analysis and Modelling Division, Analytical Studies and Modelling Branch, at Statistics Canada, in their report.

Source: HR Rorter