BCFED President Sussanne Skidmore said on Tuesday that the BC NDP announcement of expanded job-protected sick leave and health-related travel assistance will make a difficult situation dramatically easier for thousands of BC workers.

“When you’re facing a serious illness, you should be able to focus on healing and recovery — not on whether you’ll have a job once you get better. By extending job-protected sick leave from eight days to 27 weeks, David Eby and the BC NDP are securing peace of mind for thousands of BC workers and their families,” Skidmore said.

“This announcement builds on BC’s nation-leading five days of paid sick leave… something [BC Conservative Leader] John Rustad voted against,” she added. “Nobody who’s sick should have to choose between paying the bills and staying home to get better. But that’s a choice John Rustad wants to force workers to make.”

Premier David Eby also announced a re-elected BC NDP government will expand health-related travel assistance for people who have to travel to see specialists or get treatment for themselves or their families.

“That’s welcome news for workers throughout BC, especially in rural and remote communities,” said BCFED Secretary-Treasurer Hermender Singh Kailley. “It’s especially important that the payments come up-front, so you don’t have to float the cost until your reimbursement comes through.”

Skidmore compared Tuesday’s announcement with Rustad’s record in government.

“We have David Eby and the BC NDP making life easier for people. And then we have John Rustad’s record: cutting health care, cancelling hospitals and laying off health workers, so he could give huge tax cuts to big corporations and the wealthy.

“He’s shown us whose side he’s on… and it isn’t yours.”