Workers in B.C. will be eligible for a minimum of 5 paid sick days a year starting in January

Workers in British Columbia will be eligible for a minimum of five paid sick days a year starting in January.

The new sick leave policy goes into effect Jan. 1 and affects all workers covered by the province's Employment Standards Act.

Labour Minister Harry Bains says the five paid days are fair and were determined following a consultation period that generated 60,000 responses.

Bains says the government heard from some who suggested three paid days was an appropriate amount while others wanted 10 days or more.

The government says more than one million workers in B.C. don't have paid sick leave and most of them work in low-paying jobs.

In May, the province gave all workers up to three days of paid sick leave for those affected by COVID-19 until Dec. 31.