New legislation aims to streamline health care and reduce unnecessary red tape for workers, doctors
Employers in British Columbia will no longer be permitted to demand sick notes from employees for short-term illnesses, under proposed legislative changes aimed at freeing up time for health professionals and reducing administrative strain on the healthcare system.
Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside introduced Bill 11 this week, which amends the province’s Employment Standards Act to clarify when employers can request medical documentation.
The change is designed to ensure that frontline healthcare workers spend less time filling out forms and more time attending to patients, says the government.
“When you’re sick, the last thing you should have to do is go to your doctor or a medical clinic in order to get a piece of paper saying you’re sick,” said Whiteside. “Not only is that difficult for a sick person to do, but it doesn’t help you get better any faster or prevent the spread of illness.”
Under the current legislation, employers can request “reasonably sufficient proof” that an employee is unwell.
The amendment now explicitly prevents employers from requiring sick notes signed by physicians, nurse practitioners or registered nurses for short-term absences, which are still to be defined by forthcoming regulations.
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is urging an end to the requirement for sick notes for short-term minor illnesses, arguing that the practice places unnecessary burdens on physicians and strains an already overstretched healthcare system.
The announcement has been welcomed by the province’s health officials, who say the move will cut down on redundant paperwork and improve access to care.
“We’ve heard clearly from doctors around the province that unnecessary paperwork robs them of valuable time to see their patients,” said Health Minister Josie Osborne.
“Eliminating sick notes for short-term absences is just one of the actions we are taking to cut administrative burden, make our system more efficient, and free up health professionals to focus on what they do best – providing care to British Columbians.”
New regulations will be developed following consultation with stakeholders, says the government.
These will outline what constitutes a short-term absence, and how frequently employees can be absent before a medical note is required. The regulation is expected to come into force ahead of the 2025 respiratory illness season.
As of January, Quebec also has a sick note policy.
The initiative is part of a broader push to modernize administrative practices in B.C.’s healthcare sector, says the government. Alongside the sick note reform, the government is moving to digitize outdated processes, consolidate forms, and improve referral and scheduling systems.
This includes a partnership with Doctors of BC and Health Quality BC to improve medical imaging scheduling—a move projected to free up more than 180,000 physician hours annually.
Healthcare professionals have expressed support for the move.
“Providing sick notes are one of many administrative burdens that family physicians face. More importantly, they highlight a disparity in access for people who do not have a primary care provider. I will welcome this small but meaningful change and hope that employers support their workers as well,” said Tracy Tresoor, a physician at Ross Bay Health Clinic.
