Submission Bill 11 - Employment Standards Amendment Act, 2025

The Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) appreciates the province’s efforts to reduce the administrative burden on physicians and other healthcare professionals by removing the requirement for employees to provide sick notes to employers for short-term sick leave. Other provinces such as Nova Scotia and Manitoba have followed this approach, freeing up doctor’s time to focus on patient care and sparing employees the hassle of obtaining and submitting sick notes.

We also appreciate that Bill 11 does not expand existing sick leave entitlements under the Employment Standards Act (ESA), and that the Ministry of Labour has engaged employers directly in shaping the supporting regulations. In particular, we thank the Ministry team for the time they’ve taken to hear from our members and for their willingness to engage in open discussion.

As the province now turns to the development of supporting regulations, it is critical to get the balance right. Without a clear set of rules and a few basic exceptions, the regulation could end up creating more uncertainty for employers trying to do the right thing.