Home / Health / B.C. Eliminates Mandatory Sick Notes, Easing Burden on Doctors
B.C. Eliminates Mandatory Sick Notes, Easing Burden on Doctors
13 Nov
Summary
- New B.C. rules limit when employers can demand sick notes
- Change aims to reduce administrative burden on physicians
- Doctors say sick notes put "enormous burden" on primary care
As of November 2025, the British Columbia government has introduced new employment standards regulations that limit when employers can demand sick notes from their workers. Under the new rules, which came into effect on November 8th, 2025, employers are no longer allowed to request a note for the first two health-related absences of up to five consecutive days in the same year.
The change aims to reduce the administrative burden on physicians and ensure that those who are sick can stay home to recover without the need for unnecessary medical appointments. Health Minister Josie Osborne states that the new regulations will allow doctors and nurses to focus on patients who truly require their care, rather than spending time writing sick notes.
Dr. Lisa Gaede, a family physician and representative of Doctors of B.C., says the previous requirement for sick notes placed an "enormous burden on physicians and other primary care providers." The government's statement notes that scientific evidence shows most minor illnesses, such as the flu or common cold, resolve within five days, making the sick note requirement redundant in many cases.
Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside emphasizes that when someone is sick with the flu, the last thing they want to do is visit their doctor just to get a note confirming their illness. The Canadian Medical Association estimates that B.C. doctors wrote approximately 1.6 million sick notes last year, a burden the government is now seeking to alleviate.
