Kelowna 
British Columbia has introduced new employment standards regulations that restrict when employers can request sick notes, a move aimed at reducing administrative burdens for health-care professionals and unnecessary doctor visits. The new rules take effect immediately.
Under the updated regulations, employers cannot require a sick note for a worker’s first two health-related absences of five consecutive days or fewer in a calendar year. The rule applies to all employees covered by the Employment Standards Act and extends to all 22 regulated health professions under the Health Professions Act, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and midwives.
“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,” said Jennifer Whiteside, B.C.’s Minister of Labour. She added that such visits take time away from patients who truly need care and “risk further spread of illness.”
Health Minister Josie Osborne said the changes ensure people can stay home to recover without the added stress of obtaining documentation. “This change also reduces unnecessary administrative burdens for doctors and allows them to focus on what matters most: providing care to patients,” Osborne said.
The Canadian Medical Association estimated that B.C. doctors wrote about 1.6 million sick notes in 2024, a workload the province says diverted time and resources from patient care. The CMA and Doctors of BC had previously called for eliminating short-term sick note requirements.
B.C. joins Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, and the federal government, which already limits when employers can request sick notes.
