Articles by Black Press Media

Health

B.C. bars sick note demands for first two absences per year

New rules effective immediately in B.C. will bar employers from requesting a sick note for the first two short-term health-related absences per calendar year. Each absence can be up to five consecutive days, according to the rules. A health-related injury is defined as when an employee or a member of their immediate family is ill or injured. The new regulation does not change the minimum standards of five days paid sick leave for an employee themselves and five days unpaid leave to look after an ill child in their care. The new regulations do remove the sick note requirement in both instances. “When you’re sick with the flu, or your child comes down with a cold, the last thing you should have to do is go to your doctor or a medical clinic to get a piece of paper saying you’re sick,” Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside said in a news release announcing the changes. The new regulations were authorized by legislation that passed in the spring, but the provincial government at the time committed to developing the new rules only after gathering input from health-care providers. Groups representing doctors, such as the B.C. College of Family Physicians and Doctors of BC have long complained about the administrative burden of providing sick notes. The Canadian Medical Association estimated that in 2024, B.C. doctors wrote 1.6 million sick notes. “Setting limits on employers who require these notes means that someone with a cold can stay home from work and rest, and I can be more available for patients who need my help,” said Dr. Lisa Gaede, a family physician and Doctors of BC representative, in a statement provided by the B.C. government.