By Cecilia Nasmith
The Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit's board of health has been asked to to draft a letter of advocacy for paid sick leave.
The motion passed at their February meeting indicates they will do even more.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Gemmill explained the situation from a health-care perspective, referring to a Private Member's Bill now at Queen's Park on this matter.
“We really want to control this virus by keeping people we know are ill and we know may be in a position of transmitting this in the work setting or the service setting from doing so,” Dr. Gemmill said.
“There are a number of people in the service sector or those working part-time who do not have the same kind of job security people in other work situations have. Therefore, unfortunately, there's a disincentive for such people to follow guidelines of staying home when they are sick because wages might be lost or a job might be lost for not showing up.”
The province has not stepped up, citing Federal benefits in place. Unfortunately, they are not easily accessible.
“The measures currently in place are really rather cumbersome for the employee,” he explained.
“And it may be a while before they actually have access to these funds.
“The Private Member's Bill before provincial legislature would provide these folks in low-paying jobs to have this in place so they will not inadvertently or because of their concern about their job or income go to work when they are sick.
“The recommendation is to support this as an advocacy position and make it known to the various people who have the ability to put this policy into effect.”
Enhancements to the position urged by two representatives will be explored at future board of health meetings.
Representative John Henderson of Cobourg discussed the town's espousal of a living wage, which he felt could be germane to the issue at hand.
And provincial appointee Carol Brown denounced the Federal government's failure to provide this kind of relief beyond the difficult program now in place.
Meanwhile, another aspect was espoused by Dr. Ian Gemmill in his suggestions for a final motion.
Representative Bill Cane of Hamilton Township felt the issue of job security had not been given proper consideration.
“Two weeks of funding to help them self-isolate is not going to help them if, after two weeks, they have no job to go back to,” Cane said.
Taking it a step further, he added, a person afraid of being told to self-isolate is very unlikely even to submit to testing.
“If people are afraid to be tested, I think that really impedes our ability to limit this,” Dr. Gemmill agreed.
“I think what we are asking in this letter, we are asking Federal and provincial governments to collaborate to make this work well, and we can add two things – to add more definite wording on job security, because I agree that's essential, and whether we want to have something to support the Private Member's Bill before the legislature.”
In the end, the motion board chair Doug Elmslie put on the floor called for these suggestions to be part of the advocacy letter the board would draft.
