Toronto 
The government of Ontario has announced temporary pandemic payment for front-line workers. There will be an of four dollars per hour worked on top of existing hourly wages, regardless of the qualified employee’s hourly wage for the next four months.
In addition, employees working over 100 hours per month would receive lump-sum payments of $250 per month for each of the next four months. This means that eligible employees working an average of 40 hours per week would receive $3,560 [(40 hours x 4 weeks x 4 months x $4)+(4 months x $250)]in additional compensation.
The pandemic pay will be effective for 16 weeks, from April 24, 2020 until August 13, 2020, and is expected to support over 350,000 frontline workers.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR $4 INCREASE IN PANDEMIC PAY
Those eligible to receive the payment will be staff working in long-term care homes, retirement homes, emergency shelters, supportive housing, social services congregate care settings, corrections institutions and youth justice facilities, as well as those providing home and community care and some staff in hospitals.
Staff providing frontline clinical services, along with those providing support services, such as cleaning and meal preparation, will be eligible to receive the pandemic payment.
The additional compensation is temporary and would be available immediately and continue for 16 weeks.
To receive pandemic pay, you must work in both an eligible role (i.e. be an eligible worker) and workplace.
The $4 hourly top-up and lump sum payment eligibility only apply to the hours you actually work.
It does not apply to time you were not in the workplace for any reason, including vacation, any authorized paid leave, including sick leave and time and benefits awarded under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
Health care
To be eligible for pandemic pay you must be an eligible worker who works in an eligible workplace providing publicly-funded services.
Eligible workplaces
- All hospitals in the province, including small rural hospitals, post-acute hospitals, children’s hospitals and psychiatric hospitals
- Home and community care
Eligible workers
- Personal support workers
- Registered nurses
- Registered practical nurses
- Nurse practitioners
- Attendant care workers
- Auxiliary staff, including:
- porters
- cooks
- custodians
- housekeeping
- laundry
- Developmental services workers
- Mental health and addictions workers
- Respiratory therapists in hospitals and in the home and community care sector
- Paramedics
- Public health nurses
Long-term care
Eligible workplaces
- Long-term care homes (including private, municipal and not-for-profit homes)
Eligible workers
- All non-management publicly funded employees and workers in eligible workplaces (full-time, part-time and casual)
Retirement homes
Eligible workplaces
- Licensed retirement homes
Eligible workers
- All non-management employees working on site in licensed retirement homes (full-time, part-time and casual)
Social services
Eligible workplaces
- Homes supporting people with developmental disabilities
- Intervenor residential sites
- Indigenous healing and wellness facilities and shelters
- Shelters for survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking
- Youth justice residential facilities
- Licenced children’s residential sites
- Directly operated residential facility – Child and Parent Resource Institute
- Emergency shelters
- Supportive housing facilities
- Respite and drop-in centres
- Temporary shelter facilities, such as re-purposed community centres or arenas
- Hotels and motels used for self-isolation and/or shelter overflow
Eligible workers
- Direct support workers (such as developmental service workers, staff in licenced children’s residential sites, intake and outreach workers)
- Clinical staff
- Housekeeping staff
- Security staff
- Administration personnel
- Maintenance staff
- Food service workers
- Nursing staff
Corrections
Eligible workplaces
- Adult correctional facilities and youth justice facilities in Ontario
Eligible workers
- Correctional officers
- Youth services officers
- Nurses
- Healthcare staff
- Social workers
- Food service
- Maintenance staff
- Programming personnel
- Administration personnel
- Institutional liaison officers
- Native Institutional Liaison Officers
- TRILCOR personnel
- Chaplains
HOW TO APPLY FOR $4 PANDEMIC PAY
If you are an eligible frontline worker, you will receive the temporary hourly pandemic pay directly from your employer.
The government has not announced how you will get the monthly lump-sum payments of $250 per month during the periods of April 24, 2020 to May 21, 2020; May 22, 2020 to June 18, 202o, June 19, 2020 to July 16, 2020 and July 17, 2020 to August 13, 2020.
“During these dark days, the Ontario spirit continues to shine through with everyday acts of heroism, courage, and compassion by our frontline workers,” said Premier Ford. “These people put themselves in harm’s way to care for our sick and vulnerable citizens. I am truly grateful, as are the people of Ontario, for their service, and it’s time we give something back to those who sacrifice so much day in and day out.”
Is this only applied to health care workers working in the hospital? I’ve asked my employer and that’s what she said. I am her medical secretary.
Why private homes did not pay us
extra 4dollars .we didn’t get.it is too bad.
THE PAY INCREASE COMES DIRECTLY THROUGH YOUR EMPLOYER. YOU DONT DO ANYTHING. DOES NO ONE READ ANYMORE ?
What about people who collect their garbage? Anything being done for them?
As of yet, has the Government of Ontario announced how these funds will be accessible to employers in order to pass them on to their frontline staff through payroll? Also, is there any clarity on whether the government will fund the additional payroll taxes and vacation pay?
What a bunch of BS i still did not get anything and Ford made it look like we are getting it asap. Full of BS
What about actively working Dental Assistants. Why are we not on the list? We are consider healthcare but do not qualify for the increase. 😡😡
Has anyone gotten a response as to how to apply for this $4 increase?
The government has not announced any further details. It may be through payroll. If and when they announce more details, we will update the article.
How do you apply for the $4.00 per hour wage increase?
What about payroll staff nobody would work if they didn’t get paid?
What about the oxygen delivery guys who risk their lives by going from home To home and nursing home To nursing home they are in direct contact everyday with people and i have not seen once Any recognition
Can someone please tell me how to apply for this.
What about I.T. support – we’re essential and going into many different styles of business to support and maintain infrastructure. This is on top of the day to day support to keep people working at home.
It’s fine to say we’re getting it but how?
How do we apply. The employees or the employers?
It’s fine to say we’re getting it but how?
what about workers who works as pharmacy assistant and medical receptionist in clinics
How will the wage increase be paid? Is there a way to apply?
What about those cleaners that we work in amazon we are cosidetate as esencial workers we are also risking our lifes
do we as nurses have to apply for this payment or will the government contact the nursing homes.