Doctors Manitoba has launched a campaign calling on employers to stop requiring sick notes for short-term illnesses, saying the practice wastes more than 300,000 medical visits annually that could be used for actual patient care.
The “Sick of Sick Notes” campaign includes new guidance for employers and coincides with recommendations to the provincial government for regulatory changes to eliminate sick notes across all sectors.
“Every sick note takes time away from patients who need medical care, and that’s particularly concerning with the physician shortage in our province,” said Dr. Nichelle Desilets, president of Doctors Manitoba. “Today, we’re calling for a transition away from sick notes to manage absenteeism, and we’re supporting employers and other institutions with new recommendations and resources to help them adopt more effective alternatives.”
The organization says ending sick note requirements would free up the equivalent of adding more than 50 doctors to Manitoba’s health system by reducing unnecessary visits to doctors and emergency rooms.
Major employers already on board
Several major Manitoba employers have already eliminated sick note requirements for short-term illnesses, including Canada Life, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority.
The new employer guidance, available at DoctorsNotes.ca, provides steps for organizations to eliminate sick notes, including removing them from internal policies, updating employee handbooks, communicating changes clearly, and implementing alternatives like self-attestations.
The guidance was developed in consultation with public and private employers, unions, and human resources professionals.
Industry support grows
The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce has endorsed the initiative, with President and CEO Chuck Davidson saying reliable healthcare access is crucial for economic growth.
“The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce strongly supports work to shift away from sick notes and improve access to health services. Ultimately, good quality healthcare is key to strong communities and a thriving environment for economic growth,” Davidson said.
Tory McNally, a human resources advisor who worked on the sick note project and vice president of professional services at Legacy Bowes, said eliminating sick note requirements supports both employee wellbeing and operational efficiency.
“Eliminating the requirement for sick notes for short-term absences supports both employee well-being and operational efficiency. As HR professionals, our goal is to foster a culture of trust and health. Removing short term sick notes allows employees to prioritize their recovery without unnecessary stress, while easing the strain on our already burdened health care system — ensuring medical professionals can focus their time on patient care, not paperwork,” McNally said.
Campaign follows extensive research
Doctors Manitoba has conducted two years of research and consultation to build the case for eliminating sick notes. The organization says research shows the practice is not effective for verifying illness-related absences, as many patients no longer have symptoms when they see a physician.
“We know there’s strong public support among employers and workers to eliminate sick notes,” Desilets said. “Our campaign points out that we don’t send medical problems to the human resources department for treatment, and we shouldn’t send human resource issues like attendance management to the doctor.”
The campaign focuses specifically on documentation for short-term absences and does not include other types of medical certificates where medical advice is necessary, such as workplace accommodations or safe return-to-work documentation.
Additional resources will be added to the initiative, including a comprehensive toolkit with HR leaders focused on attendance management practices, sample templates and policies, and standard forms for legitimate medical documentation requests.
