Alberta critical worker benefit to recognize grocery and pharmacy employees
February 11, 2021Jason Kenney has announced Alberta’s Critical Worker Benefit, recognizing the contributions of frontline employees during the pandemic, including retail grocery, pharmacy, fuel station, warehouse and trucking workers.
Eligible employees who earn less than $25 an hour and have worked a minimum of 300 hours between October 12, 2020 and January 31, 2021 will receive a one-time payment of $1200.
Employers must apply on behalf of eligible employees at alberta.ca/criticalworkerbenefit when the portal opens on February 17, 2021 and will have until March 19, 2021 to participate. Employers will also be responsible for distributing the payment.
The program is funded through the federal government’s essential worker top-up program, with 75% of the funds coming from the Government of Canada and the balance from the provinces.
While many provinces limited the top-ups to health care workers and first responders, RCC’s fight to include some retail workers has been successful in Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador.
