Thank you, Madam Speaker. If you're sick, don't go to work. This is a message we need to send to our residents. However, currently, the Employment Standards Act in the NWT only entitles people to five unpaid sick days after 30 days of employment. After five days, you better get back to work. And you're not getting a paycheque while you were off, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, I would like the NWT to introduce paid sick days so people stay home while sick. I would also like us to lead a cultural shift here. People should stay home while sick. Also, Madam Speaker, that definition of a "sick day" needs to include the reality that the odd mental health day is needed. If existential dread prevented you from sleeping, take the day off. If your anxiety kept you staring up at the ceiling all night wondering about the budget, don't go into work. Not only do you deserve a break, but it's a safety hazard for many workplaces to have insomniacs running around, Madam Speaker. Burnout costs employees and employers more in the long run.
There is an argument that paid sick leave puts undue hardship on small businesses; something our own Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment has pointed out when I asked this previously. However, ECE in introducing its own paid sick leave legislation found that many of those arguments were overblown and, in fact, businesses with paid sick leave experienced greater productivity, retention of trained staff, reduce the risk of injury, improved worker morale, increased labour force participation something every employer needs and something we desperately need in the north, especially those employers who consistently lose staff to the GNWT who are very generous to speak to sick days, Madam Speaker. I'll have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment.
Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
