Questions raised about City of Surrey’s sick day staff incentive program

Questions are being raised about a program for City of Surrey workers and staying home when they are sick.

On Thursday, employees were notified by email that the city plans to relaunch its Attendance Support Program on Jan. 1, 2023.

The program has been on hold since the start of the pandemic.

“Staff who remain healthy and do not require the use of any sick time within a calendar year will be given a $50 gift card and a letter of recognition will be placed in the employee’s file,” the email reads.

It also states that “staff who are in the lowest 20 per cent of sick time users for their peer group will be recognized with an incentive of $25.”

On Wednesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix said people need to stay home if they are sick, wash their hands, and he recommended wearing a mask indoors to stop the spread of viruses in communities.

2:12 Steady increase in sick days among B.C. health-care workers

The City of Surrey told Global News in a statement that the “recognition program encourages a healthy lifestyle and has been in place for many years.”

It acknowledges those employees who achieve good attendance and is not intended, nor perceived, as a means of encouraging staff to show up to work while sick.