Many Canadians need a sick note for their employer or school if they are off due to medical reasons, a policy a group of doctors is trying to change.
Calling out workplaces and others who require these notes even for brief absences – some as short as a single day – the Canadian Medical Association is urging the requirement be dropped, at least when it comes to short-term minor illnesses.
With a shortage of family doctors in Canada, sick notes are an added burden to the burned-out physicians, the group representing Canada’s physicians said in a statement released Monday. The CMA said eliminating them for minor health issues could prevent as many as 12.5 million "unnecessary" health-care visits in a year.
CMA president Dr. Joss Reimer called these notes "a human resources issue," saying, “We understand that organizations have policies in place to manage their human resources, but when 6.5 million Canadians don’t have access to a family doctor and patients wait far too long for specialty care, physicians need to focus their time caring for patients who need medical care.”
About one-third of working Canadians said they were asked by their employers to produce a sick note for a short-term absence at least once in the last year, according to a new survey conducted by Abacus Data on behalf of the CMA.
The CMA said it isn’t defining a particular number of days as "short term." It refers to those with common, uncomplicated and short-term health conditions as ones that they can manage on their own without a health-care professional.
The same poll found 72 per cent said they support legislation to restrict requests for sick notes.
As well, the results of a 2021 CMA survey suggested administrative tasks including the writing of these types of notes were among the key reasons that 53 per cent of physicians said they felt highly burned out.
To ease the stress on doctors and allow them to focus on patients with more serious health issues, the CMA said it recommends the government make legislative changes to restrict the need for sick notes for employers and educational institutions. Canadian doctors suggested other options, such as signed declarations from employees and flexible leave policies, could be implemented instead.
The survey involved a random sample of 1,500 working adults in Canada from Oct. 7 to 10 through online panels. The margin of error for a comparable random sample of the same size is +/- 2.53%, 19 times out of 20, according to the CMA.
In Ontario, workers won’t need to provide a sick note from a health-care provider to take three days of sick leave as the province passed Bill 190 on Monday.
“Employers can still require a reasonable form of evidence to maintain accountability in the workplace, such as an attestation,” Michel Figueredo, press secretary to Ontario Labour Minister David Piccini, said in an email to CTVNews.ca, noting the province is developing guidance to ensure it doesn’t create unnecessary paperwork.
With files from CTV National News Medical Correspondent Avis Favaro
There appears to be an end in sight for the strange predicament of a B.C. woman who was being paid by the federal government for a job she was hired for but never actually did.
The Canadian dollar is trading against the U.S. dollar at levels not seen since 2020 as the combined pressures of economic outlooks, elections, and energy prices weigh. Here's what you need to know.
The mother of a 17-year-old victim in a mass slaying in Manitoba is suing a child welfare agency for allegedly failing to protect the girl.
Dodgers win World Series in 5 games, overcome 5-run deficit with help of errors to beat Yankees 7-6
Trick-or-treaters will flock to streets across the country Thursday night with the Canadian staple, the parka, covering costumes for some, while others will be treated to mild conditions.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced his caucus for the first time Wednesday since rebuffing calls from two dozen Liberals to resign. He seemed to satiate some MPs’ concerns, with a presentation on party campaign strategy that includes rolling out new ads.
A long-time animal foster said the recent behaviour of her dog and cat is something she had never witnessed.
Starting next week, Starbucks customers will no longer pay more for this add-on for their orders.
Jagmeet Singh says the NDP will not support the Bloc Québécois and Conservative leaders to help them bring down the Liberal government.
With Americans set to elect a new president Tuesday, new data shows there's a spike in interest in Canadian real estate.
Rehab after suffering a stroke or experiencing another debilitating condition can be gruelling, but Fraser Health has two new robotic tools it hopes can improve patient outcomes.
The owner of a pair of teardown homes in Vancouver's rapidly redeveloping Oakridge neighbourhood has been ordered to refund a would-be buyer's deposit of $1.5 million.
Junior Henry says he was shot by a Taser in his bedroom all because police got the wrong home in Brampton.
Police say a suspect in a break-and-enter in Aurora is dead following an interaction with officers Wednesday night.
Video circulating online shows the tense moments after officers arrived at the scene of a mid-day break-and-enter in Brampton on Tuesday.
The Alberta government is looking to increase oversight of the child-care sector.
A Calgary Uber driver is alerting others about a racially motivated incident that occurred in his vehicle last month, following a pick-up of a passenger. It was all caught on camera.
A decision about whether to close the Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) in Calgary's Beltline is back in the hands of the Alberta government.
A South Frontenac Township man is facing charges, including impaired operation causing death, in connection to a boat crash that killed three people on Bobs Lake in eastern Ontario over the Victoria Day long weekend.
Two men are being treated for burns after being injured while working at an apartment building in Ottawa's Alta Vista neighbourhood.
Award-winning Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan will not be performing in Ottawa next week, as she has announced her Canada-wide tour has been postponed.
Montreal police (SPVM) confirmed Wednesday afternoon that they are investigating a homicide after a body was found in the l’Île-de-la-Visitation nature park in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough.
For the past 25 years, Jean-Paul Désilets has fully immersed himself in the spirit of Halloween. The DIY Halloween decor enthusiast has transformed his home in Trois-Rivières into a year-round spooky, magical world—straight out of a Tim Burton movie.
The Montreal police's sexual exploitation unit is once again asking for the public's help in locating potential victims of a convicted sex offender who allegedly reoffended.
The Alberta government is looking to increase oversight of the child-care sector.
Hundreds of pages of documents detailing potential asbestos exposures at Edmonton’s largest school division reveal human error led to more than a dozen worker exposures last year.
As Edmonton's population booms, so has demand on the city's transit system.
The lawyer for a homeless man who died at a Halifax encampment is arguing in court today that his client's welfare payments should have been as high as those received by people with permanent housing.
Famed Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan is postponing her 30th Anniversary tour of “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy” due to health concerns.
Collisions on both bridges spanning the Halifax Harbour led to traffic troubles for commuters Wednesday morning.
When the main roads are backed up, some drivers turn to back lanes to bypass traffic. However, residents who live in the city’s East Kildonan neighbourhood say they’re fed up with the makeshift detours down their alleyway.
The mother of a 17-year-old victim in a mass slaying in Manitoba is suing a child welfare agency for allegedly failing to protect the girl.
Police say a 44-year-old man was rushed to hospital after an unprovoked attack in a Winnipeg park involving a machete and bear spray.
The Saskatchewan Party has avoided being swept off the map by the NDP in Saskatoon with CTV News confirming that Ken Cheveldayoff has been re-elected in Saskatoon Willowgrove.
Halloween is a time for many to share ghost stories and explore haunted houses, but for one Saskatchewan man, it's spooky season all year round.
With two races in the provincial election too close to call on Monday, all eyes were on the Conexus Arts Centre as Elections Saskatchewan held a second count of the ballots that included mail-in ballots.
One person has died after police say a wheel detached from a vehicle, causing a crash in the eastbound lanes of the 401 near Cambridge.
Kaitlyn Braun, the woman who pleaded guilty to defrauding numerous doulas last year, has pleaded guilty to four additional charges.
The Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony’s board of directors says the association has bounced back from bankruptcy.
Delegates from 74 Saskatchewan First Nations head to the polls on Thursday to elect a new chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN).
Halloween is a time for many to share ghost stories and explore haunted houses, but for one Saskatchewan man, it's spooky season all year round.
A 9-year-old Saskatoon boy is taking on a project to help the city’s homeless. It started out with a lot of work collecting recycled cans and bottles, it has turned into a labour of love.
A North Bay woman was sentenced this week in connection with the fatal stabbing of Nicholas Nicholls in 2021.
Towns and municipalities in northern Ontario are concerned about the increased costs of Ontario Provincial Police services.
Daniel and Rita Auger of Chelmsford in Greater Sudbury are celebrating after winning $1 million in the Sept. 17 Encore draw.
London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is being investigated by London Police Service, who LHSC confirmed on Wednesday are looking into ‘past financial practices.’
Maya Pluchowski told the jury at the bush party murder trial that on July 30 of 2021, she and others hopped into a car driven by one of the accused in the case Emily Altmann.
On Wednesday morning Nicholas Burtch, 36, entered a guilty plea at the Simcoe Courthouse to a charge related to failing to stop at the scene of a collision causing death. The 14-year-old boy, whose identity has been protected by the courts, was struck by a pick-up truck.
The family of a gas station worker who was killed earlier this month in Amaranth is pleading for help in finding the person responsible for his murder.
A woman claiming Lauriston and Amber Maloney exploited her while she lived and worked for the Essa Township couple continued her testimony on Wednesday, telling the court she was controlled for years.
Amid a critical need for family doctors, the Town of Huntsville is taking steps to attract physicians and tackle the long-standing waitlist for primary care.
Local judge, Justice Maria Carroccia, has ruled previous conduct will be considered when it comes to her final judgement in a Windsor terrorism trial.
The Doug Ford government plans to provide Ontario taxpayers with a $200 tax-free rebate. Parents will receive an additional $200 cheque for each eligible child.
If she can dream it, Dora Strelkova can likely make it a reality — as long as there’s a 3D printer nearby.
There appears to be an end in sight for the strange predicament of a B.C. woman who was being paid by the federal government for a job she was hired for but never actually did.
Three people were found dead after a fire tore through a rental home on Vancouver Island earlier this week. Investigators believe one of the victims initially escaped the blaze, but ran back inside to rescue others before he succumbed to smoke inhalation.
The bright lights of Hollywood have lost some of their lustre as the film industry struggles to find its footing in an era of streaming and following a period of extended labour strife. The slowdown also extends to Hollywood North.
More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Parks Canada and the Blackfoot Confederacy have announced a new collaboration.
A Lethbridge police officer faces multiple charges in relation to an off-duty domestic incident.
According to the last Alberta crop report of 2024, 99.9 percent of crops in the south region have been harvested.
From Jan.1-Oct. 20, Ontario Provincial Police officers laid 95 impaired charges on Manitoulin Island, compared to 93 in all of 2023.
A Goulais River man has been charged with impaired driving and entering a premises without permission after he pulled into a driveway he thought was his and argued with the homeowner.
Environment Canada issued weather alerts Wednesday in anticipation of severe thunderstorms, heavy rain the first accumulating snowfall of the season in the northeast with up to 10 cm expected.
Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general has issued a warning about the province's financial position as the government announced it would finish the 2024-25 fiscal year with a higher-than-expected deficit.
Police in Newfoundland and Labrador have charged an off-duty RCMP officer for allegedly driving while impaired, following a crash on Sunday.
The human remains recovered off Placentia Bay, N.L., earlier this month have been identified as the coast guard employee who went missing at sea in September.
A Halifax junk remover shares some of his company’s strangest discoveries.
When Leah arrived at work directing traffic around a construction site, she never expected to see a van painted in all sorts of bright colours, and covered in eclectic decorations, including a stuffed moose attached to its roof.
After 14 years of repairing and selling bicycles out of the garage of her home, a Guelph, Ont. woman’s efforts have ended – for now, at least.
Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.
Witches and warlocks have been flocking to New Brunswick waterways this month, as a new Halloween tradition ripples across the province.
New Brunswicker Jillea Godin’s elaborate cosplay pieces attract thousands to her online accounts, as well as requests from celebrities for their own pieces.
A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.
Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is looking for support for a plan to bring back Ukrainian children who were deported to Russia since the war began.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced his caucus for the first time Wednesday since rebuffing calls from two dozen Liberals to resign. He seemed to satiate some MPs’ concerns, with a presentation on party campaign strategy that includes rolling out new ads.
Jagmeet Singh says the NDP will not support the Bloc Québécois and Conservative leaders to help them bring down the Liberal government.
A recent case of measles detected in the Maritimes has a B.C. connection, provincial health officials say.
H5N1 bird flu has been identified in a pig in the United States for the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday.
A team at London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI) is the first in Canada to treat a neuroendocrine tumours cancer patient using an innovative treatment.
Scientists in Argentina have discovered the oldest-known fossil of a giant tadpole that wriggled around over 160 million years ago.
In a surprising discovery, Bristol Zoo's conservation team captured night vision footage of a 'mysterious' creature on zoo grounds.
Archeologists in Cambodia have unearthed a dozen centuries-old sandstone statues in a "remarkable discovery" at the Angkor World Heritage Site near the city of Siem Reap, authorities said Wednesday.
Actor Lucas Bravo has some notes about his “Emily in Paris” character.
Olivia Rodrigo has had a big world tour that she said has been fun – despite an accident that made headlines.
The headliners for the region’s biggest outdoor country music festival are locked in, and once again, the multi-day event has garnered big names.
A new poll suggests more than a quarter of Canadians will spend $100 or more on Halloween, with roughly 70 per cent of respondents saying they'll fork over as much money as they did last year on candy and costumes.
Chipotle customers have complained that portion sizes are all over the map. The company finally has a solution – 'consistent and generous portions.'
Costco locations in Ontario will join hundreds of other grocery and big-box stores that can start selling wine and beer as soon as this Thursday.
Starting next week, Starbucks customers will no longer pay more for this add-on for their orders.
A 114-year-old Pennsylvania woman is now believed to be the oldest living person in North America.
As winter approaches and daylight hours grow shorter, people prone to seasonal depression can feel it in their bodies and brains.
Yeji Kwon's life is unusual, but she wouldn't trade it for anything.
Dodgers win World Series in 5 games, overcome 5-run deficit with help of errors to beat Yankees 7-6
The Toronto Maple Leafs have dealt defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks for defenceman Matt Benning, a third-round draft pick in 2025 and a sixth-round pick in 2026.
Volkswagen has informed employee representatives that it wants to close at least three plants in Germany, the head of the company's works council said Monday.
A 17-year-old Ottawa driver was caught speeding nearly 90 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417.
Based on initial appearances, there are signs indicating the automobile industry is in healthy shape – for now.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
© 2024 
All rights reserved. Use of this Website assumes acceptance of Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy