Parents face loss of income if children fall ill returning to school

TORONTO (CityNews) — Canadian parents going back to the office are facing the possibility of entering a two-week quarantine if their child is exposed to COVID-19 in the classroom.

Stuart Rudner, an employment lawyer from Toronto, says, “[Parents] shouldn’t have to worry about losing their job,” if their kids get sick.

However, parents should be aware that they are not entitled to be paid for those days unless you can access paid sick days or the government’s COVID-19 benefits.

Rudner explains, in many ways, the process is very similar to if you have a sick kid in pre-COVID times.

Anna-Kay Brown is an advocate for the Jane-Finch Community & Family Centre and adds parents are not only worried about losing income, but “The impact for our community is a lot.”

She says parents face a bigger risk if they do decide to send their kids back to school, but in many cases, they don’t have any other choice.

If we end up seeing repeated school closures, Rudner assures your job will still be protected under human rights legislation.

If an employer threatens you with termination, Rudner advises you to find out what you rights are, and to not “just accept that.”