‘Time-waster:’ Group representing Manitoba doctors renews calls to end sick notes

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This article was published 13/03/2025 (554 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG – The group representing Manitoba doctors is renewing calls to eliminate sick notes as they pay a burden on a health-care system already overworked by a shortage of family doctors.

“Sick notes are a time-waster for physicians,” Dr. Randy Guzman, president of Doctors Manitoba, told reporters Thursday. 

“For the physicians we do have, administrative burden is a big issue, burnout is very widespread, and excessive paperwork is a top contributor.”

Guzman said sick notes are just one form of unnecessary paperwork that can take up more than 36,000 hours of a physician’s time per year and cost taxpayers $8 million. 

The group has found physicians write roughly 600,000 short-term sick notes per year and eliminating them could free up more than 300,000 patient visits.

A recent study by the group suggests that most Manitobans, including the public and employers, support eliminating or limiting sick notes. Because the poll of more than 1,500 people was conducted online, it can’t be assigned a margin of error.

It suggests 84 per cent of employers surveyed supported eliminating sick notes. The poll also found 70 per cent of workers say they would rather go to work sick than get a doctor’s note. 

“That can be a big risk to workplace productivity,” said Guzman. 

The group’s research also found patients often don’t have symptoms by the time they visit a doctor’s office, so the notes aren’t an effective way to verify or manage sick time away from work.

The group is renewing calls for the government to create legislation that follows most other provinces to outline when short-term sick notes should be required. Manitoba and Alberta are the only provinces that haven’t taken action to limit sick notes.

Currently, it is up to employers to determine when a note must be provided, ranging from one day to one week. 

“You could call it the Wild West right now. There really aren’t rules in Manitoba,” said Keir Johnson, director of strategy, advocacy and communications with Doctors Manitoba. 

A committee formed to find ways to reduce administrative burden for physicians put forth a series of recommendations to the province last year, including eliminating the use of sick notes.

Last year, the Canadian Medical Association called for an end to sick note requirements by companies for employees with short-term minor illnesses, saying they burden physicians with unnecessary administrative tasks.

A law was passed in Ontario in October that prohibits employers from seeking a doctor’s note for the first three sick days an employee takes each year. 

Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the province is willing to look at how the issue can be addressed through legislation. 

“Whatever ways that we can work as a government with doctors to reduce the administrative burden and take further steps in the space of labour law to better support workers and healthcare workers, the government is committed to doing that work,” said Asagwara.

The Opposition Progressive Conservatives said the province should be looking at all recommendations made by the committee to reduce administrative overload.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2025.