TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO:
WHEREAS there is overwhelming evidence to show that paid sick days significantly reduce the spread of infectious disease, promote preventaive health care and reduce health care system costs;
WHEREAS 60% of Ontario workers do not have access to paid sick days, and cannot afford to lose their pay if they are sick;
WHEREAS low-wage and precarious workers are the most likely to be denied paid sick days;
WHEREAS enabling workers to stay home when they are sick without losing pay helps limit the spread of illness in the workplace and allows workers to recover faster;
WHEREAS during an infectious disease emergency, it is unreasonable and dangerous to public health to make workers choose between protecting their communities and providing for their families; and
WHEREAS legislating paid sick days through the Employment Standards Act, with transitional financial support for struggling small businesses, will ensure that workers have seamless, uninterrupted access to their pay;
THEREFORE, we the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately amend the Employment Standards Act to provide Ontario workers with 10 employer-paid days of personal emergency leave each year and additional paid sick leave in the case of an infectious disease emergency.