‘Do your part’: Sask. Chamber CEO to employees choosing CERB over returning to work

The CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce says too many people in the province are choosing to stay home and live off the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), rather than return to work.

Steve McLellan told Saskatchewan Afternoon’s David Kirton on Wednesday as staff are beginning to get calls back for work, many are saying they can’t, and McLellan says they’re using illegitimate excuses.

He said if you’re one of the individuals that is “faking it” to take the summer off and collect the $2,000/month, you’re adding a whole new level of challenge for the province to get back to business, and shame on you.

“And I say that to those people, but also to those know know them – go back to work – you’ve got to do your part here to get us back to businesses and to cover for those folks who do have childcare issues, who can’t leave their kids at home.”

He is asking that everyone do their part.

“People are giving what I would consider illegitimate excuses and part of it is because they are just kind of comfortable sitting at home on the federal benefit program,” he said.

McLellan said he recently heard from the hotel industry who said as they are booking more rooms they have been calling their staff back but receiving a lot of pushback from people not wanting to return to work.

“Many times it is legitimate,” he said. “But, too many times it’s not and we need everybody to put their shoulders to the wheel here, so those workers — retail, office, whatever the case is — can go back to the work environment they were in. We are asking them to step up and do what needs to be done.”

CERB gives financial support to employed and self-employed Canadians who lost their jobs or saw their hours slashed due to the pandemic.

According to the Federal government, the Benefit is available to workers:

• Residing in Canada, who are at least 15 years old;
• Who have stopped working because of reasons related to COVID-19 or are eligible for Employment Insurance regular or sickness benefits or have exhausted their Employment Insurance regular benefits or Employment Insurance fishing benefits between Dec. 29, 2019 and Oct. 3, 2020;
• Who had employment and/or self-employment income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months prior to the date of their application;
• Who have not quit their job voluntarily.

On Tuesday, CERB was extended and will continue to pay out $500 a week for up to 24 weeks instead of 16.