Question Period Note: Introduction of a new Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit

With the wind down of the CERB, what income supports are available to workers who are unable to work because they are sick or need to self-isolate due to COVID-19?

• The Government of Canada is working to safely restart the economy, while protecting the health of Canadians.

• The new Canada Recovery Sickness benefit would encourage workers to self-isolate and follow public health advice if they are showing COVID-19 symptoms.

• The benefit would provide $500 per week for up to two weeks for workers who are not receiving other paid leave and who are unable to work at least 50% of their normal work because they contracted COVID-19, they must self-isolate for reasons related to COVID-19, or they have an underlying condition that would make them more susceptible to COVID-19. .

• Workers do not need to exhaust other paid sick leave before applying for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, but they cannot receive other paid leave at the same time.

• This benefit would deliver on the Government’s commitment to provinces and territories under the Safe Restart Agreement, to provide up to ten days of paid sick leave to all workers.

• Workers would apply through a simple online application and would not require a medical note.

The new Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit provides $500 per week, for up to two weeks, for workers who are unable to work because they are sick or must self-isolate due to COVID-19.
The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit will be available to:
• Resident in Canada who are at least 15 years of age and have a valid Social Insurance Number;
• Workers employed and self-employed at the time of the application;
• Workers who had employment and/or self-employment income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in 2020 or in the 12-month period prior to their first application for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit.
Workers must have missed a minimum of 50% of their scheduled work in the week for which they claim the benefit, because they are sick with or may have contracted COVID-19, or have isolated themselves on the advice of their employer, a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner, person in authority, government or public health authority for reasons related to COVID-19.
Workers will not be eligible for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit if they are in receipt of the Canada Recovery Benefit, the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit, short-term disability benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, or any EI benefits, including EI Sickness benefit, or Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (or QPIP) benefits in respect of the same week.
Workers will not be eligible for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit if they have, in respect of the same week, been granted paid leave or been paid under a sickness benefit plan.
The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit will be available for one year, effective September 27, 2020.

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