Global report also looks at which countries take the most sick days
For HR professionals in Canada handling a global workforce, understanding how the country’s statutory sick pay compares globally is crucial for benchmarking benefits and informing policy decisions.
And a new report shows Canada sits in the middle of the pack.
A Canadian worker on an average income can expect the equivalent of Intl$613.94 in statutory sick pay for a week’s leave, worth about C$697.12, reports Moorepay.
On an international-dollar basis, Qatar ranks first, with a week of statutory sick pay worth Intl$1,644.69, followed by Singapore (Intl$1,557.59), Luxembourg (Intl$1,518.76), Norway (Intl$1,446.78) and Brunei (Intl$1,132.39).
“Sick pay is an essential part of the socio-economic contract and contributes to public health improvements and individual well-being,” says Moorepay in its report. “It also potentially boosts employment rates and employee engagement.”
To compile the rankings, Moorepay researchers manually reviewed national sick pay legislation and calculated how much a resident on an average income would receive in the first week, defined as five working days, of sick leave. Where benefits are paid as a percentage of earnings, the team used the national adjusted net income per capita from the World Bank to reach a figure.
Source: Moorepay
Some Canadian provinces have announced new paid and unpaid sick leave programs in recent years.
Average yearly sick days
Canada ranks 20th when it comes to the average yearly sick days taken by workers.
“A decent sick leave policy can also reduce the cost of ‘presenteeism’ – the lower productivity of employees who work on through illness or injury instead of taking time off to recover,” notes Moorepay in its Global Sick Pay Report. “Many can’t afford to take time off on heavily reduced pay, and economic pressure to work through illness or injury increases the risk of illness spreading through the workplace, among other health and safety issues.”
Here's how sick pay differs across different countries, accoridng to the Moorepay report:
Source: Moorepay
Several Canadian provinces have passed legislation that prevents employers from requesting sick notes from their employees in relation to short-term medical leaves.
Here are the different statutory sick leave policies across Canada:
|
Jurisdiction |
Statutory paid sick leave |
Unpaid sick leave / related notes |
Key government sources |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Federal (Canada Labour Code) |
Up to 10 days of medical leave with pay per year for employees in federally regulated workplaces; employees accrue days over time after an initial 30‑day qualifying period. |
Additional unpaid medical leave is available under the Code and through EI sickness benefits. |
Medical leave with Pay – IPG‑118, Employment and Social Development Canada |
|
British Columbia |
After 90 days of employment, employees are entitled to 5 paid days and 3 unpaid days of job‑protected leave per calendar year for personal illness or injury. |
Part of B.C.’s “illness or injury leave”, which is a statutory, job‑protected entitlement. |
Illness or Injury Leave – Part 6, s.49.1 and Leaves of absence overview |
|
Alberta |
No general statutory paid sick leave. |
Employees with 90 days’ service can take up to 16 weeks of job‑protected leave due to illness, injury or quarantine; the legislation does not require that this leave be paid. |
|
|
Saskatchewan |
No statutory requirement to pay sick leave. |
Employers may not discharge or discipline employees (13+ weeks’ service) for absence due to illness or injury within specified limits (e.g., up to 12 days per calendar year for non‑serious illness). Employment standards explicitly state that employers are not required to pay employees who are away sick. |
|
|
Manitoba |
No statutory paid sick leave. |
The Employment Standards Code provides three unpaid days per year as family leave, which may be used for family responsibilities or personal illness. |
Family Leave factsheet and Quick Guide to Employment Standards |
|
Ontario |
No general statutory paid sick leave (COVID‑era paid days have expired). |
Most employees have the right to up to 3 unpaid, job‑protected sick‑leave days per calendar year due to personal illness, injury or medical emergency. |
|
|
Québec |
After 3 months of uninterrupted service, the first 2 days of certain absences (including sickness or accident) are with pay. |
Beyond the two paid days, employees are entitled to additional unpaid, job‑protected leave for non‑work‑related accident or illness. |
“Sickness or accident” (CNESST) and Act respecting labour standards |
|
New Brunswick |
No statutory paid sick leave. |
Under the Employment Standards Act, employees who have worked for the same employer for more than 90 days can take up to five unpaid sick days in a 12‑month period. Government discussion papers are exploring potential amendments to add five paid sick days, but this is not yet law. |
Paid sick leave consultation paper and Employment Standards guidance |
|
Nova Scotia |
No general statutory paid sick leave currently in force. |
Amendments under the Stronger Workplaces for Nova Scotia Act add 5 unpaid sick days per calendar year, in addition to 3 unpaid days for medical appointments and family illness. Separate Bill 31 would create a paid‑sick‑leave entitlement of up to 10 paid days per year (1 per month), but it has not yet come into effect. |
Sick and Serious Illness or Injury Leaves; Labour Standards Code; Bill 31 (paid sick leave) |
|
Prince Edward Island |
For employees with five or more years of continuous employment, there is 1 paid sick day plus up to 3 unpaid sick days per calendar year. |
Employees with more than six months but less than five years’ service are entitled to up to three unpaid sick days per year. |
“Employment Standards and You” poster and Employment Standards Act |
|
Newfoundland and Labrador |
No statutory paid sick leave. |
Employees employed at least 30 days are entitled to 7 days of unpaid sick or family responsibility leave per year. |
Labour Standards Division summary (sick/family responsibility leave) and Labour Standards Act (RSNL 1990 c. L‑2) |
|
Yukon |
Employment Standards Act: employees are entitled to one day of sick leave for every month worked, up to a maximum (leave is defined as “special leave without pay”, i.e., not statutorily paid). |
In addition, the Paid Sick Leave Rebate is a temporary government program reimbursing employers (or self‑employed workers) for up to 40 hours of wages per 12‑month period for workers who lack sufficient employer‑paid sick leave. |
Special Leave fact sheet (sick leave); Paid Sick Leave Rebate |
|
Northwest Territories |
No statutory paid sick leave. |
Under the Employment Standards Act, an employee is entitled to 5 days of sick leave without pay in a 12‑month period. |
|
|
Nunavut |
No explicit statutory paid sick leave identified. |
Government fact sheets focus on other standards; federal‑level summaries describe Nunavut’s sick‑leave rules as “unclear” relative to other jurisdictions. Sick‑leave practices are largely determined by contracts, collective agreements and federal EI benefits. |
Nunavut Labour Standards Compliance Office – FAQs and fact sheets and general Labour Standards guidance |
