Don’t make it mandatory for employers to provide 10 days of paid sick leave!

Paid sick leave is very costly for employers. Let your provincial government know that now is not the time to put added pressure on small businesses. The government increasing certain costs, e.g., by making paid sick leave mandatory, would have a significant impact on over a third of Quebec’s small businesses*.

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The government is under increasing pressure

Federally regulated businesses Provinces are under pressure to follow suit Labour unions are turning up the pressure
As of December 1, 2022, employers are required to gradually provide 10 days of paid sick leave. B.C. employers are now required to provide 5 days of paid sick leave. Quebec’s three main central labour bodies are asking the province to follow the federal government’s example and make it mandatory for employers to provide 10 days of paid sick leave! READ MORE HERE (only in French)

CFIB went to bat for you!

Paid sick leave is very costly for employers

Not only do we have to pay the employee taking a sick day, but we also have to find a replacement, which results in rising costs and greater labour shortage issues.

Le Journal de Montréal - COVID sick leave: a possible burden for SMEs, believes CFIB
2 days of paid sick leave** 5 days of paid sick leave** 10 days of paid sick leave** ACTUAL COST

10 days of paid sick leave, including replacements**
3 employees:
$1,567		 3 employees:
$3,917		 3 employees:
$7,833		 3 employees:
$15,666
10 employees:
$5,222		 10 employees:
$13,056		 10 employees:
$26,112		 10 employees:
$52,224
25 employees:
$13,056		 25 employees:
$32,639		 25 employees:
$65,279		 25 employees:
$130,558

**Source: Statistics Canada and Employment Quebec, calculated by CFIB

  • For more than 65% of Quebec’s small business owners, the cost of labour was a major factor in the decision to increase their prices.
  • As employers are already facing labour shortages, if they were required to provide 10 days of paid sick leave, more employees would miss work, and this would create availability issues.

*Source: CFIB, Your Voice Survey (Feb. 9 to Feb. 25, 2022), results for Quebec : n=672

Premier François Legault,
Mr. Jean Boulet, Minister of Labour,
Mr. Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy,
Mr. Christian Dubé, Minister of Health

CC: My Member of Parliament

I haven’t been able to fill all the positions in my business. My payroll expenses and fixed costs are constantly on the rise!

My operating costs are at an all-time high. Now is not the time for small businesses to take on more costs!

Don’t impose additional costs on my business. I can’t afford it!

Please don’t put added pressure on my business. Do not make it mandatory for employers to provide each employee with 10 days of paid sick leave!
CFIB

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 97,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings.