NDP backbencher proposing new law to crack down on sick notes

WINNIPEG — The Manitoba legislature may be the next battleground in the war over when employers can demand sick notes from absent workers.

Dave Gaudreau, a backbencher in the NDP government, is proposing a new law that would forbid bosses from requesting sick notes until a worker has missed at least seven days in a calendar year.

Gaudreau says forcing workers to get a doctor’s note wastes health care resources and often requires workers to pay a fee for the note.

Some medical groups have also criticized the use of sick notes, including the Ontario Medical Association, which says a worker who gets a doctor’s note can spread germs to other patients.

But some business groups have argued that sick notes are needed to manage absenteeism and ensure workers are getting treated for their illness.

Gaudreau hopes to have his proposed law debated in the legislature in the coming weeks, but admits there are no guarantees it will be discussed before the April 19 provincial election.