The Statistics Canada offices are shown in Ottawa on July 21, 2010. Statistics Canada says self-reported paid sick leave coverage has increased moderately since 1995, but coverage for front-line workers is still far from universal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says self-reported paid sick leave coverage has increased moderately since 1995, but coverage for front-line workers is still far from universal.
The federal agency says that approximately 64 per cent of workers reported having paid sick leave coverage in November 2022, in comparison to 56 per cent in November 1995.
Self-reported coverage appears to have increased for groups that traditionally have lower rates of coverage, including workers with full-time temporary jobs and non-unionized jobs.
The report says this suggests inequality in coverage has narrowed between some job types – but lower-wage earners are still less likely to report that they have sick leave coverage.
Only 17.2 per cent of workers aged 15 to 64 whose hourly wages are in the bottom 10 per cent say they have coverage.
Employees of small businesses are also less likely to report coverage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2023.
