Manitoba sick-note bill on life support

WINNIPEG — A proposed law on employee sick notes appears to be on life support at the Manitoba legislature.

Dave Gaudreau, a backbencher in the NDP government, has put forward a bill that would forbid bosses from requesting sick notes until a worker had missed at least seven days in a calendar year.

Gaudreau says the change would free up doctors’ time and save workers from paying fees for sick notes.

Some business groups oppose the idea and say requiring sick notes is a way to manage absenteeism.

The bill came up this morning, but the Opposition Progressive Conservatives debated it until the allotted time ran out.

Gaudreau says he hopes to debate the bill again before the April 19 election, but admits time is running out and there are other bills on the government’s agenda