New rules limiting when Manitoba employers can request sick notes take effect today. Employers will no longer be allowed to request sick notes for short-term absences from work unless a worker misses more than one consecutive week of work or more than 10 scheduled workdays in a calendar year, even if those days are spread out. Doctors Manitoba welcomes this new legislation, saying it will reduce unnecessary visits to doctors for minor illnesses and free up physicians to see more patients. "Manitoba has moved from worst to first when it comes to limiting sick notes," said Dr. Nichelle Desilets, chair of the Doctors Manitoba board of directors and past president. ​"Every sick note request takes time out of a physician’s day, so eliminating most sick notes frees up doctors’ time to see more patients." "Manitoba’s new sick note legislation is the result of years of collaboration and consensus-building among physicians, employers, unions, human resource professionals, and government," said Dr. Alon Altman, President of Doctors Manitoba. ​"By working together, Manitoba found a better approach that is good for patients, good for employers, and good for doctors." Fewer sick notes The Manitoba Labour Federation says when workers are home sick with a minor illness, they should focus on feeling better, not on dragging themselves to the doctor's office to get a sick note. "These new limits on when employers can ask for sick notes are good news for working people and good news for our health care system, because doctors will no longer have to waste so much time on writing pointless notes," said the Manitoba Federation of Labour. While sick notes can be requested for absences that extend beyond the legislated limits, Doctors Manitoba says the best practice is to eliminate sick notes for simply verifying absences due to illness or injury. The province introduced the new limits following a joint recommendation from labour and employer groups. "When someone is sick, they should be able to focus on getting better, and doctors should be able to focus their time on providing care," said Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara. ​"Eliminating routine sick notes gives physicians valuable time back in their day, frees up capacity in clinics and helps more Manitobans get the care they need. It is a simple, practical change that lets doctors spend more of their time doing what they are trained to do, care for patients." Resources for employers Doctors Manitoba has developed a free HR toolkit to help employers adjust to the new sick note rules. "Doctors Manitoba has developed these resources for employers because the experience in other provinces has demonstrated that simply changing the rules doesn’t stop unnecessary sick notes from being requested," said Dr. Altman. The toolkit has been downloaded 6,000 times since it was first published last winter.