Sickness benefit will give $1,000 for Canadians to miss work even if they don't have COVID-19

The new Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit had its terms expanded, which will now permit pay of $1,000 worth of sick leave regardless of what the illness is.

The change comes after Liberal Party negotiations with New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh, who called the expansion "vital."

"We remain really firm," said Singh. "In a second wave, what could be more important than workers being able to stay home if they’re sick? That is very vital."

According to Blacklock's Reporter, the changes mean that that those payments of a maximum of $500 weekly for up to two weeks to only those exclusively sick with coronavirus, will be expanded to those who: "might have contracted COVID-19, "have contracted other sicknesses that… would make them more susceptible to COVID-19" or "have isolated themselves on the advice of…a government or public health authority."

On the matter, Singh said: "If they fall sick, they should not have to make the impossible choice: Do I go to work sick, risking infecting my colleagues, or do I stay at home risking not being able to pay my bills?"

"We want to make sure paid sick leave is actually something workers can access, and we've got concerns about right now the ability to access that," Singh continued. "This is a major win. This is something we had fought for, and so I am proud that we’ve been able to get that help to Canadians."

No official estimate on the cost of the coverage has been announced as of yet.