EDMONTON – As more workers get ready to get their COVID-19 vaccines, the Alberta Federation of Labour wants to help remove barriers for workers by calling for the provincial government to legislate paid sick leave for COVID-19 vaccinations.

“The provincial government should mandate that all employers allow employees four consecutive hours of time off to get the COVID-19 vaccine without a reduction in pay,” says Gil McGowan, Alberta Federation of Labour president.

“Alberta’s public health is too important to be left up to Premier Jason Kenney’s argument about personal responsibility and trusting Albertans to do the right thing – we’ve heard this over and over again from this government during the pandemic and we’ve seen the results. Some people do and some people don’t, and in this case, some employers will and some won’t.”

This call comes after Alberta’s largest union advocacy organization has repeatedly called for mandatory paid sick leave to combat COVID-19 infections.

“If this government is serious about getting the virus under control, then they have to start getting serious about mandatory paid sick leave and other policies to support Albertans as they isolate and get the vaccine,” concluded McGowan.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Ramona Franson
Director of Communications, AFL
rfranson@afl.org