Victoria, B.C.– In a significant move to reduce administrative strain on the province’s health-care system, Jennifer Whiteside, B.C.’s Minister of Labour, has introduced Bill 11 to amend the Employment Standards Act. The proposed changes aim to limit when employers can require sick notes from employees, particularly for short-term absences.
“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 Minister 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.”
Currently, the Act permits employers to request “reasonably sufficient proof” of illness. Bill 11 will clarify that employers cannot demand, and employees are not obligated to provide, a sick note from a physician, nurse practitioner, or registered nurse for short-term absences due to illness or injury.
The legislation comes after repeated concerns from doctors and health-care workers across the province about the time-consuming nature of sick note documentation. “Unnecessary paperwork robs doctors of valuable time to see their patients,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This is just one of the steps we’re taking to cut administrative red tape and let health professionals focus on patient care.”
The province will engage with stakeholders to develop clear regulations defining the duration of a “short-term” absence and the frequency of absences that might justify a request for a formal sick note. The regulations, expected to be implemented before the 2025 respiratory illness season, may eventually expand to include notes from other health professionals beyond physicians and nurse practitioners.
In addition to curbing the use of sick notes, the update includes broader efforts to modernize the health system. These include eliminating outdated fax and paper-based processes, streamlining referrals, standardizing forms, and enhancing digital information-sharing among health providers.
A collaboration with Doctors of BC and Health Quality BC is also driving changes in how medical imaging appointments are scheduled—anticipated to save over 180,000 physician hours annually.
The government says these reforms are essential to building a more efficient and patient-focused health-care system for British Columbians.
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