The provincial government announced on November 12, 2025 that, effective immediately, new laws would apply to employers asking employees for sick notes. Under the new employment standards regulations, employers cannot ask for a sick note for an employee’s first two health-related absences of five consecutive days or less in a calendar year.
A health-related absence includes when an employee or a member of their immediate family is ill or injured.
Under these new regulations, an employer can only request a doctor’s note when at least one of the following occurs:
The new regulations were implemented to ease the administrative burden that the scripting of doctor’s notes was having on the medical system. They set a minimum standard and apply to all employees covered by the Employment Standards Act.
For more information, consult the Employment Standards Branch website. Should you have further questions, please contact your CSSEA Advocate or Consultant.