BC Paid Sick Leave: Here’s What All Employers Need to Know

All BC employees covered by the BC Employment Standards Act (ESA) are entitled to a minimum of five paid sick leave days per year if they need to stay home due to an illness or injury.

This five-day paid sick leave entitlement, which came into force on January 1, 2022, is provided in addition to the provision for three days of unpaid sick leave under the BC Employment Standards Act. This means BC employees are entitled to eight days of job-protected sick leave, five of which are paid.

This permanent paid sick leave was added as an amendment to Section 49.1 of the ESA.

Who does the paid sick leave apply to?

The BC employment standards sick days are available to all employees covered by the ESA who have been employed by their employer for at least 90 days. This includes part-time, temporary, and casual workers.

However, employees in federally regulated workplaces, self-employed workers or independent contractors and employees in professions excluded from the ESA do not qualify for BC employment standards sick days.

What are BC's new restrictions on asking for sick notes?

As of November 12, 2025, British Columbia's new sick leave rules under Bill 11 prohibit employers from requesting sick notes for an employee's first two health-related short-term absences of five consecutive days or fewer in a calendar year. This prohibition lifts for the third and subsequent short-term absences, but employers must consider reasonableness.

Health-related leaves include:

1. Personal illness or injury (under ESA s. 49.1).
2. Family responsibility leave to care for a sick family member (under ESA s. 52).

Each type counts separately. For example, a 3-day personal illness in February counts as Leave #1, while a 4-day absence for a sick child in April counts as Leave #2. Employers cannot request sick notes for either.

Can employers ask for a sick note on the third absence?

The prohibition does not apply to the third short-term absence. However, employers are still only permitted to request “reasonably sufficient proof” under ESA s. 49.1(2).

Requests for doctor's notes become unreasonable for common, short-duration illnesses like colds or flu.

In what cases can employers request a medical note for the third absence?

For third absences, accept alternative proof such as:

• Verbal or written employee confirmation.
• Pharmacy receipts (if provided).

Insist on medical notes only in suspected abuse cases with clear patterns. Consult HR experts first. For case-specific advice, call our free employer line at (1) 833-247-3652.

For more clarity on the new requirements around sick notes in BC, read our blog on BC Sick Leave Rules.

Can unused paid sick leave be carried over into the next year?

No. Your employees only get five paid sick days per calendar year. A calendar year is a period of 12 consecutive months starting January 1. Employees who begin employment half way through the calendar year would also be entitled to the five paid days and three unpaid days of sick leave.

Do employers have to pay out outstanding sick days at the end of employment?

No. Unused BC employment standards sick days are not paid out when the employee resigns or is terminated.

Do the sick days have to be taken consecutively?

No. Your employees can take the five paid sick days and the three unpaid sick days as needed over the course of a calendar year.

Can I ask my employee to use the three unpaid sick days first?

No. Employers cannot decide how employees will use the BC employment standards sick days. It is up to the employee.

Can my employee ask for sick days in half day increments?

No. Under the BC Employment Standards Act, any time taken off work for sickness – even an hour – would qualify as one full day of sick leave. There is no provision for partial sick days. As per the ESA, employees can avail of five sick days to be paid based on an “average day’s pay”.

However, employers are free to offer greater benefits than the minimum standards set in the ESA. So, employers can create a company sick leave policy that allows staff to take half a day’s sick leave. But employers cannot offer fewer sick days than the minimum set in the BC ESA, which is five paid and three unpaid sick days.

How is a day of paid sick leave calculated?

When an employee qualifies for paid sick leave, they must be paid at least an average day’s pay for each day of leave taken. An average day’s wage can be calculated by dividing the total wages by the number of days worked in a pay period.

What other things must BC employers keep in mind?

BC employers covered by the ESA are required to provide their eligible staff with up to five days of job-protected paid sick leave per year. They must also comply with the new restrictions on asking for sick notes. Employers affected by this change must update their employment contracts and sick leave policies, if they haven’t done so already.

Do you need more information on BC employment standards sick days?

Our experts can help you with human resource management and support you with any other health and safety, or employment matters that arise. To learn more about how our services can benefit your business, call an expert today at 1 (833) 247-3652.