New Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)

 

The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit provides $500 per week, for up to two weeks, effective September 27, 2020 for one year, for workers who are unable to work because they are sick, must self-isolate due to COVID-19, or have underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of COVID-19.

This new benefit is how the federal government will be providing two weeks of sick leave to all Canadians during COVID-19.  We opposed a new obligation being imposed on employers, so the Burnaby Board of Trade is pleased that this new sick leave benefit will be provided by government and not mandated on to employers to provide.     For full information on this program, click here. 

The benefit would be available to:

  • Residents in Canada who are at least 15 years of age and have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN);
  • Workers employed or self-employed at the time of the application; and
  • Workers who earned at least $5,000 in 2019 or in 2020.

Workers would not be required to have a medical certificate to qualify for the benefit. Workers could not claim the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit and receive other paid sick leave for the same benefit period. Workers would need to have missed a minimum of 60% of their scheduled work in the week for which they claim the benefit.

Workers would apply after the one-week period in which they are seeking income support and attest that they meet the requirements. The benefit would be taxable, and 10% is withheld for that reason.  If the situation continues past 1 week, applicants will need to apply again for the second week and can access a total of 2 weeks between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021.

Example Scenario:

A minimum wage worker needs to self-isolate due to COVID-19

  • Anita is working in a small grocery store in Saskatoon, SK and earns about $35,000 a year
  • She has been working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • She just found out she must self-isolate for 14 days as a family member has tested positive for COVID-19.

What could Anita qualify for?

  • With the new Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, Anita may be eligible to receive $500 per week, for up to two weeks provided that she is not in receipt of paid leave from her employer.