Hi there! Requiring a doctor’s note currently depends on which jurisdiction you reside in – for example, Ontario passed a bill in October banning employers from requiring employees to providing a doctor’s note for sick leave. However, sick leave entitlement as federally regulated currently allows up to 3 days of paid leave and an additional day of paid medical leave at the start of each subsequent month.
If you are based in Ontario, one option you have is writing into your employment contract that you require a doctor’s note stating the LENGTH of the leave so you know when your employee will return to work, as there are length allowances with sick leave. If you reside outside of Ontario, you can request a doctor’s note from your employee. The best repercussion to follow through with is a warning, as there are many reasons an employee may not want to provide a doctor’s note for their short, 3 day paid sick leave (no GP, privacy concerns, embarrassment, unknown diagnosis). If they pass the final day of their sick leave allowance, you can definitely bring up a concern of job abandonment and request a note again (outside of Ontario!)
-HRInsider Staff
