Lower-income workers at essential care facilities can now apply for the temporary wage supplement from the province.

An eligible worker can receive $400 for each four week period, up to 16 weeks. It is retroactive to March 15th and extends to July 4th.

What would make a worker eligible includes earning a wage less than $24/hr at an eligible essential care facility in the four week period for which the work applied for the supplement. That worker must also have earnings less than $2,500 including any money they may have made outside of what is considered an eligible essential care facility.

Despite the criteria, the government says the wage supplement is available to an estimated 35,000 lower-income workers at essential care facilities.

Eligible essential care facilities include:

Public and private senior care homes;

Community-based group and personal care homes;

Licensed childcare facilities;

Emergency shelters;

Transition shelters (short stay/emergency, transition housing);

Integrated healthcare facilities; and

Home-care workers providing care to seniors in their own homes.

For more information about or to apply for the wage supplement click here. People with questions about the supplement may also email stwsp@gov.sk.ca or call 1-800-667-6102.