Sick of sick notes: B.C. limits when employers can request sick notes

The British Columbia government has brought in new rules that limit when an employer can ask for a sick note, saving doctors the burden of writing them and preventing patients from spreading their illness even further. 

A government statement says that under new employment standards regulations, an employer can't ask for a note for the first two health-related absences of up to five consecutive days in the same year.

Health Minister Josie Osborne says the new rules that started Wednesday will ensure that those who are sick can stay home to recover, while reducing the unnecessary administrative burden on physicians. 

Dr. Lisa Gaede, a family physician and Doctors of BC representative, says sick notes put an "enormous burden on physicians and other primary care providers," and the change means they can be more available for patients who need their help. 

The statement says the changes are based on advice from care providers, who say scientific evidence shows that most minor illnesses for adults, such as flu or cold, have symptoms that resolve within five days. 

Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside says when someone is sick with the flu, the last thing they want to do is go to their doctor to get a note that says they're sick. 

"Unnecessary medical appointments take time away from patients who need to see their doctors and nurses, don't help people get better any faster and risk further spread of illness," she says in the statement. 

The Canadian Medication Association estimates that B.C. doctors wrote about 1.6 million such notes last year. 

The statement says that health-related absences include when an employee or member of their immediate family is sick or injured.

The government says that health-care providers throughout the province have called for relief from administrative burdens, including such notes, that take them away from patient care. 

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh