The Ministry of Labour has announced a change to how sick notes work in B.C., effective immediately.
Proposed changes were announced earlier this year as part of a new bill that was introduced in the B.C. Legislative Assembly.
According to the ministry, the new rules limit the capability for employers to ask for sick notes, which the ministry believes will allow medical professionals to spend more time with patients.
The new rules state that employers can’t ask for sick notes for an employee’s first two health-related short-term absences “of five consecutive days or fewer in a calendar year.”
The ministry says that the changes are based on input from healthcare providers. Those providers pointed to science that suggests most minor illnesses for adults, like colds or flus, include symptoms that usually resolve within five days.
Minister of Labour Jennifer Whiteside says folks who are feeling ill shouldn’t have to worry about the hassle of providing a note.
“When you’re sick with the flu, or your child comes down with a cold, the last thing you should have to do is go to your doctor or a medical clinic to get a piece of paper saying you’re sick,” Whiteside said.
“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 added.
The ministry says another reason for the change is to reduce the administrative burden on healthcare, letting professionals focus on dealing with patients rather than what the ministry calls “unnecessary paperwork.”
Dr. Katherine Bell, who is the president of the B.C. College of Physicians, says that every day, family doctors spend hours on this unnecessary admin work.
“What’s really exciting is how the provincial government is listening to our community-based family physicians and putting the solutions we know will make a difference into action. This is an important step toward improving access to care and making our health-care system work better for everyone,” Bell said.
Do you like the changes to how sick notes work in B.C.?