By Canadian Press

after uproar over holiday travellers...

Feds change sick-leave benefit, applicants required to say if they travelled

Jan 11, 2021 | 6:54 AM

OTTAWA — Anyone applying for three federal benefits will now need to say whether they are in quarantine because they travelled outside the country.

The Canada Revenue Agency announced the new requirement following an uproar over the possibility of Canadians applying for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit after ignoring public-health advice to not engage in non-essential travel.

The sickness benefit pays $500 per week for up to two weeks for anyone who has to quarantine because of COVID-19.

The CRA says it was intended to help frontline workers and others who may have been exposed to the illness but whose employers do not offer paid sick leave.

The new requirement will apply to anyone applying after Jan. 3 for the sick-leave benefit and two other federal support programs, the Canada Recovery Benefit and the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit.

holiday check stops

Nanaimo motorists shine during province-wide crackdown

1h ago

targeted job action

Striking Nanaimo postal workers disrupt Purolator operations

4h ago

final flight

Massive Philippine Mars waterbomber preparing for final Island departure

9h ago

The CRA says it will delay processing applications to those programs from Canadians who have travelled until new legislation taking aim at non-essential travellers can be adopted.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 11, 2021.

The Canadian Press