Here's Who Qualifies For The 3 Paid Sick Days Under Ontario's New Sick Leave Program
Things get complicated for contractors and interns.
Here's Who Qualifies For The 3 Paid Sick Days Under Ontario's New ...
After months of pressure, the provincial government rolled out their plan for paid COVID-19 sick leave in Ontario on Wednesday, April 28 — but not everybody is covered.
The new program provides up to three sick days to Ontarians who don't already have sick pay covered by an employer, but workers can only apply to the program if they're considered "employees" under the Employee Standards Act.
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Independent contractors and volunteers are not considered "employees" under the ESA, and not all interns are eligible for paid sick leave.
The ESA specifies that an independent contractor is someone who makes their own profit; determines how, when or where their work is done; and can choose to subcontract some of their own work as well.
Most interns are considered employees — if they're receiving training from an employer — but the ESA does not apply to interns whose work is under a program approved by a college or university.