More than 75,000 workers in the province are now eligible for the joint federal-provincial Critical Worker Benefit program. The Alberta government contributed $118 million to the $465 million program made to recognize the hard work of critical workers during the pandemic.
Over 277,800 Alberta workers have already received their one-time payment of $1,200 from the first round of the program, but second phase eligibility has expanded to include more social services and the private sector.
Social services workers are eligible for the benefit if they are operating within:
- licensed child care programs
- community care settings
- seniors-serving organizations
- non-profit affordable housing provider
New private sector jobs added to eligibility:
- truck transportation
- crop production, animal production or aquaculture directly involved in the production of food for human consumption
- funeral homes, cemeteries and crematoria
- security guards
- light duty cleaners, janitors and specialized cleaners working in commercial, institution and industrial locations
- taxi drivers
- workers in full-service restaurants and limited services eating places (workers must be primarily involved in the preparation, cooking or service delivery in an eligible establishment)
There are many eligibility requirements to be met to be able to receive the one-time payment, the full list can be found by clicking here.
Employees must have worked at least 300 hours between October 12, 2020 and January 31, 2021 and earned less than $25 per hour. For support staff in licensed child care, employees must have worked a minimum of 243 hours during this period to qualify.
Private sector employers have until July 23, 2021 to apply on behalf of their employees through the online application portal, whereas eligible social services sector employers do not need to apply and will be contacted by the Government of Alberta to confirm details instead.
Employers are responsible for distributing the $1,200 Critical Worker Benefit to their eligible employees.
-Erika Rolling, Trending 55 Newsroom
