GoodLife Fitness trainers are not happy after the company unexpectedly announced it is withdrawing from the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program (CEWS). 

According to an employee who reached out to Freshdaily, the health club broke the news on Monday, saying that the subsidy would stop as of Aug. 30.

This gave workers only a week's notice that they would no longer be receiving this money. 

While GoodLife has been paying the subsidy throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, trainers are now saying this is no longer the case.

Instead, an employee said workers are being encouraged to bring more members into the club, despite the pandemic. 

@GoodLifeFitness we’ve posted some on-topic polls. 6 hours into the survey, over 50% of trainers report that over 75% of their clients are on freeze. Over 50% of associates say they’re worried about paying rent next month. 100% say this impacts their faith in the company. pic.twitter.com/FpTsBHSNWt

— TrainerLifeUnited (@TrainerUnited) August 26, 2020

Posts on Twitter also state that the company did not explain how or why it is no longer eligible to continue providing the subsidy to workers. 

GoodLife is withdrawing from the #CEWS wage subsidy early, without explanation, and with short notice for employees. @GoodLifeFitness has not explained how they aren’t eligible to continue provide their employees with access to the #Covid_19 government program for workers. 🤔😤 pic.twitter.com/XflLJ5E7NI

— TrainerLifeUnited (@TrainerUnited) August 26, 2020

In a written statement to Freshdaily, GoodLife Fitness national operations manager Carlton Braithwaite said that the federal government recently made significant changes to the program that no longer allows them to be part of it, although he did not say what these changes were.

"Unfortunately, we are not in a financial position to continue paying Associates who are not actively working or to pay actively working Associates for more than their hours worked if we are not being reimbursed for these payments by the Government," Braithwaite said. 

"We of course would have preferred to provide our Associates with more notice, but we have also communicated regularly with Associates that this program was temporary and that we anticipated it would continue only until the end of August."

To continue supporting workers during this time, Braithwaite said that the company is encouraging employees to "investigate other government financial aid programs."

"For Associates who are part of GoodLife’s Associate benefits plan and were on a CEWS paid leave, we will continue to honour their benefits and pay their share of the premiums on their behalf during this period of temporary layoff."

He also added that GoodLife is taking all health and safety precautions during this time and have thorough cleaning protocols in place. 

"Our number one priority remains the health and safety of our Associates, our Members and the communities where we operate."

GoodLife Fitness clubs recently reopened after shutting down due to the pandemic in March. Since then, they've come under fire for being difficult to reach when customers are trying to freeze or cancel accounts.