Summary#
This bill changes British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act to limit when employers can ask for a sick note. Its main goal is to reduce the need for doctor’s notes for short-term health-related absences.
- For short-term health-related leave, employers cannot ask for a doctor’s note (or similar health record) in certain situations that the government will set in regulations.
- Employees do not have to provide a note in those situations.
- “Health-related leave” means time off related to an employee’s illness or injury, or for another person the rules cover. It does not include certain other leave types already in the law.
- A “health practitioner” includes a doctor, a nurse, certain other regulated health professionals named by regulation, and equivalent practitioners from other provinces or countries.
- The bill takes effect on a date set by the government, after regulations are made. Details like what counts as “short-term” will be set then.
What it means for you#
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Employees
- For short, health-related absences, you may not need to get a doctor’s note if the absence fits the situations set by the new rules.
- Outside those situations, your employer’s current policies can still apply, including asking for a note.
- You can get a note from a doctor, nurse, or other approved health professional if needed.
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Employers
- You must not request a doctor’s note (or similar health record) for short-term health-related leave when the specified situations apply.
- You can still ask for notes in other cases not covered by the new rules.
- You may need to update attendance policies and train managers once the regulations define the details.
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Health practitioners
- You should see fewer requests for short-term sick notes once the regulations are in place.
- Notes are still allowed and may be requested in situations not covered by the new rule.
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Everyone
- The change is not in effect until the government sets the start date and publishes the detailed regulations.
Expenses#
No publicly available information.
Proponents' View#
- Cuts red tape by stopping routine requests for sick notes for minor, short illnesses.
- Saves time for workers who would otherwise book appointments just to get a note.
- Reduces pressure on clinics and emergency rooms by avoiding unnecessary visits.
- Still leaves room for employers to ask for documentation in longer or exceptional cases, once defined in regulations.
- Keeps flexibility by letting government set practical details (like length and frequency) in the regulations.
Opponents' View#
- Employers may face more unverified absences and have fewer tools to manage attendance.
- Small businesses could find it harder to plan schedules without documentation for short-term leave.
- Unclear details until regulations are published (for example, how many days count as “short-term”), which can create confusion.
- Risk of inconsistent application across workplaces until policies are updated and clarified.