Canadian health-care officials are prescribing 14 days of self-quarantine for a person who been exposed to the novel coronavirus.

But for some, taking that much time off work is next to impossible. Many people don’t have sick days to cover the time and can’t afford the financial hit.

Advocates have been lobbying the government to put measures in place to protect workers like them as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in the GTA and across Canada.

The Star talked to people working a cross-section of jobs about what time off work would mean for their bottom line.

Teddy Kassay, Parking attendant

Average daily income: $112

The father of three kids, under the age of nine, dreads the very thought of having to be off from work. With little or no savings to fall back on, Kassay said being off sick would be a financial nightmare, as he doesn’t get paid when he’s off sick. His wife works part-time, “with not much income,” and they rent an apartment, he said.

“If I’m off, I don’t get nothing,” he said.

He tries to avoid contact with customers as much as possible, as a means of safeguarding himself.

“If I miss two weeks of pay, that’s my rent,” he said, while working the parking booth at a lot at Bay Street and Queens Quay.

Kassay said while he doesn’t have the luxury of staying home, he understands that forced quarantine, though difficult, is something that he would have to undergo.

Nea Okada, Server

Average daily income: $150-$200

The Humber College postgraduate student works about four days a week to lessen the need to take on additional debt to her already-ballooning student loans, which is currently $25,000. Some of the money Okada earns goes toward paying down her debt and covering the cost of her education so she doesn’t have to keep borrowing.

“Taking two weeks off is not too bad, but it would hurt a bit because I’m trying to save as much as I can to pay back my student loans,” Okada said. “It would suck because I would have to dip into my savings.”

Each day of missed work, means no pay for her as a part-time server at a downtown pub. Fortunately for her, she lives at home, which saves on rent and other living expenses like food.

Humberto Nava, Uber Eats delivery

Average daily income: $140

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

An international student from Mexico, Nava works in the gig economy, which means his daily income hinges heavily on his ability to ferry food around the city on his bike.

“If I’m not at work I don’t make anything,” said the ILAC International College health-care administration student.

“I need this income to continue studying.”

His parents cover his tuition fees, which leaves his earnings for miscellaneous expenses, such as food and saving for travel.

He pays $500 a month in rent.

“My family would help me, but I definitely need the money,” he said.

Boris Grbic, Sign installer

Average daily income: $200

Grbic said he has up to seven sick days, but would have to burn his precious vacation time, or eat some of the overtime hours he has banked, to cover any time beyond that.

“That would be income loss,” he said.

His job is seasonal, which means overtime worked during peak times is crucial to cover slower periods during the year. He recalls getting the flu and having to be off work for more than a week, which leaves him wondering what kind of effect an even more debilitating illness like COVID-19 would have on his ability to return to working shape.

His girlfriend works part-time as a server, which he said would put some of the weight on her if he had to be off for any longer than two weeks.

“We would just manage,” he said, if he had to be off for more than seven days. “That’s without a kid, and we’re looking to have a kid.”

The couple have tried to have at least two weeks’ wages saved up to cover emergency situations.