Employers in British Columbia need to update their sick leave policies to remove the requirement for medical notes for short-term medical leave, following the new changes to the Employment Standards Act and Regulations introduced by Bill 11. Starting November 12, 2025, employers cannot ask for medical documentation for short-term health-related leave. Bill 11, introduced by the Ministry of Labour on April 15th, prevents employers from requesting doctor's notes for short-term health-related leave under these conditions:

1. The absence is equal to or fewer than 5 consecutive days, and
2. The employee has not already taken more than one other short-term health-related leave of five or fewer consecutive days

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This applies to two qualifying absences per calendar year, with no carryover of unused leave. After a third short-term medical leave in the same year, employers can ask for medical documentation to confirm the leave is medically necessary, although a doctor's note isn't always required.

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Prior to the introduction of Bill 11, employers could request “reasonably sufficient proof” of injury or illness from employees, most commonly in the form of a medical note. This approach grew criticism from health professionals and policy makers as placing an unnecessary burden on employees and the health care system, especially for minor illnesses expected to resolve quickly.

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Employers may still request medical documentation to determine appropriate accommodations or to assess an employee’s fitness to return to work. It’s important to note that the new regulations apply only in the situations described above and do not apply to other statutory leaves—maternity, parental, critical illness or compassionate care leave.

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