OPENING CEREMONY IS AT THE TOURNAMENT CAPITAL CENTRE ON THURSDAY, FEB. 2, AT 7 P.M. ADMISSION IS FREE. SPORTING EVENTS TAKE PLACE AT VARIOUS VENUES ON FRIDAY, FEB. 3, AND SATURDAY, FEB. 4, MOST WITH FREE ADMISSION. TURN TO PAGES A22 AND A23 FOR MORE INFORMATION. kamloopsthisweek.com | kamloopsthisweek |
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2023 | Volume 36 No. 5
kamthisweek
#YKASTRONG
Will paid sick leave make businesses ill? BREANNE MASSEY STAFF REPORTER breanne@kamloopsthisweek.com
A
small business owner in Kamloops feels a review of legislation introduced by the B.C. government a year ago is overdue. In January 2022, full- and part-time employees in the province became eligible for five paid sick days annually after working for at least 90 days. The provincial government said the legislation was introduced in an effort to improve working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mitchell Forgie, owner of the Red Beard Café and coowner of Bright Eye Brewing, said the majority of small businesses support the decision to improve working conditions for their employees, but added there are aspects of the way
19 CHEVROLET MALIBU
27,995
$
+tax
or
199
$
#N174380A
the process was implemented that could be revisited. “I think paid sick days are good,” Forgie told KTW. “It’s just that right now, the incentives and administration are not where they should be. The province rushed this as an emergency stopgap, which is totally fine — we all do that
21 GMC TERRAIN AWD
33,995
bi-weekly $
ONE YEAR AGO, THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT CREATED LEGISLATION THAT GAVE EMPLOYEES FIVE PAID SICK DAYS
+tax $
or
21 GMC SIERRA SLT
227 bi-weekly $59,995
#N265203A
+tax $
or
when we have to — but now that it’s less of an emergency, a review of how to align and make fair and equitable [programming] is in order.” Forgie said there are complexities for business owners. “Combined with the employer health tax, this has increased the cost of payroll by 25 per cent in the last year, while the staff themselves have not seen a noticeable increase in their own take-home wage,” Forgie said. “There are also costs associated with the administration of who has taken their days, and when, and accounting for that.” He believes the situation becomes increasingly complex — and costly — for employers when their staff members have more than one job.
16 CHEV 3500 HD LTZ
$ 436 bi-weekly $63,995 +tax or 526bi-weekly
#6683A
#P266950A
PAYMENTS BASED ON FINANCING ON APPROVED CREDIT WITH STATED AMOUNT DOWN OR EQUIVALENT TRADE AND INCLUDE ALL FEES & TAXES. Total paid with $5,000 down: #N174380A $40,894.40 84 months @ 8.99% OAC • N265203A $52,008 96 months @ 8.99% OAC • #6683A $95,652.64 96 months @ 8.99% OAC • #P266950A $95, 732 72 month @ 8.99% OAC
See ENTREPRENEUR, A12