Manitoba Pandemic Sick Leave

The assistance provided by Manitoba will fill gaps that exist between the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit and provincial employment standards for paid sick leave.

Canada’s program requires individuals to apply for sick leave and wait approximately one week before they receive payment, assuming they meet the criteria.  Under Manitoba’s program, employees get paid as normal with the employer requesting funds for partial reimbursement.

People need confidence that they will have financial support on the day they feel sick or are told to isolate, or else the risk of lost wages may be too high for people to stay home when sick.

In addition, the federal program is administratively burdensome for people who are ill, do not have an existing account with the CRA or do not have access to internet at home.

To date, Ontario, Yukon, Saskatchewan and Alberta are the only other Provinces to provide any sick leave specific to COVID-19. 

Ontario: 

• up to $200 a day for up to three days for work missed related to COVID-19. 
• Valid from April 19 to September 25, 2021.

Yukon:

• Up to $378/day up to 10 days.

Quebec:

• 2 paid sick leave days off - not tied to COVID-19

PEI:

• 1 paid sick leave day off - not tied to COVID-19

SK & AB:

• 3 hours paid sick leave to receive COVID-19 vaccination

Canada:

• $450/ week up to four weeks; to be eligible, you must have missed more than 50% of your work week.
• Valid between September 27, 2020 and October 23, 2021. You cannot apply for periods that are closed.
• Federally regulated employers must provide minimum 3 paid sick leave days off - not tied to COVID-19.

Eligible sick leave would be any sick leave related to COVID-19 including testing, vaccinations and side effects, self-isolation due to COVID-19 symptoms, or care for a loved one in any of these circumstances.

The maximum period of eligible sick leave would be 5 days, which do not need to be taken consecutively.

Private-sector, non-profit and charitable employers who employ an eligible employee and meet other criteria are eligible, regardless of whether the employer is located in Manitoba or another jurisdiction.

Federal or provincial government departments, crown corporations, special operating agencies as well as incorporated municipalities or band councils are not eligible. This includes other workplaces covered by a collective agreement or other agreement that encompasses paid sick leave benefits.

Private-sector, non-profit and charitable employers who currently provide 5 or more days of paid sick leave to all of their employees would not be eligible. However, if an eligible employer offers sick leave, but only to a portion of employees (ie full time vs part time), the employer will be eligible to claim employees who are not offered sick leave.  

In addition, if an eligible employer offers less than 5 days of sick leave, they are eligible to claim employees for the difference between the days offered by the employer and the 5 day maximum under the program. Ie: Employer offers 2 days sick leave, they are eligible to claim 3 days for the employee.

Employees who have exhausted paid sick leave benefits will not be covered.

Employees who are resident in Manitoba and work and receive wages and salaries in Manitoba on a full or part-time basis would be eligible. 

Self-employed persons and employees who work from home would not be eligible for this program.  Self-employed persons include personal who are employed by a personal services corporation - i.e. a corporation that they are the principal shareholders and they are the sole employee.

Employees who have exhausted paid sick leave benefits will not be covered.

The program would compensate wages and salaries paid to eligible employees.  It would exclude other payroll taxes incurred by the employer such as EI or CPP premiums, and the Manitoba payroll tax (Health and Post-Secondary Education Tax Levy).

The program would provide support for sick leave taken between May 7, 2021 (the day the program is announced) and March 31, 2022. Payments could occur beyond this period depending upon sign-up. Deadline to submit all applications is April 15, 2022.

The program will be administered by Economic Development and Jobs through an online application tool. The online application is available here: https://forms.gov.mb.ca/manitoba-pandemic-sick-leave/

Employers are required to pay their employees’ regular wages before submitting claims for reimbursement. An employer can apply after the end of their regular pay period (2 weeks).

Direct deposit payments will be administered by Finance once the review of the claim is completed.

Under federal income tax rules the amount of government assistance either reduces deductible payroll costs or is included in revenue.