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Is vacation time and pay still earned while on sick leave?
Expert: Howard Levitt
Ranjit asked:
In British Columbia when an employee is absent on sick leave, does he still earn vacation time and pay?
Howard Levitt answered:
One accrues in Canada the entitlement to time off when one is on sick leave. However, you are only paid vacation pay based upon the wages earned. If there are no wages paid during the sick leave, your percentage of wages earned toward vacation pay will obviously not be increased during such a period.
Therefore, if someone was absent for half the year on unpaid sick leave, they would still get their, for example, two weeks time off but would only get half pay during those two weeks.
About the author
Howard Levitt, Counsel to the national law firm Lang Michener. He is author of, The Law of Dismissal in Canada, The Quick Reference Guide to Employment Law and an upcoming book on Canadian Hiring Law. He is Editor In Chief of the Dismissal & Employmnet Law Digest.
Email: hlevitt@langmichener.ca
Phone: (416) 307-4059
Website Bio: http://www.langmichener.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=people.personDetail&id=9659.