Dear Employer,
Please treat this letter as a sick note.
British Columbia remains in the middle of an Emergency Department over capacity crisis, with wait times often exceeding 6 to 8 hours and an inability to treat people in a timely fashion.
Sick notes place an unnecessary burden on the healthcare system at a time when ER staff are experiencing ever-increasing workloads and struggling to find sufficient staffing.
The provision of a sick note, similar to completion of insurance forms, is not a medically necessary service, and definitely not an emergency service.
As of January 1st, 2022, eligible full and part-time employees in BC can take up to five paid sick days. Sick notes are not required for individuals to be eligible for paid sick leave or to return to their places of work or school.
On January 18th, 2022, the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) stated that if individuals become ill and take sick days, they do not require a note from a physician to get back to work.
We greatly appreciate your support for our health system by allowing us to focus on those in need of medical care.
With thanks,
Dr. Gord McInnes
President, Section of Emergency Medicine
Doctors of BC
