Skip to Content

Government of Canada proposes 10 days of paid medical leave for federally-regulated employees

Killian McParland and Emily Murray

On Friday, November 26, 2021, the Liberal federal government moved to fulfill its campaign promise to provide 10 days of paid medical leave of absence (also referred to as “sick days”) for all federally-regulated employees within 100 days of being re-elected.

Bill C-3 would do so by amending the Canada Labour Code to remove the ability to use paid personal leave for illness and injury and replace it with up to 10 paid days of medical leave.

As drafted, an employee would earn one day of paid medical leave after each month of employment, up to a maximum of 10 days in a calendar year. The paid leave could be taken in one or more periods, but the employer may require that each period be taken as at least one day. Employers would be able to require a medical certificate for any medical leave with pay (but for medical leaves without pay, only where it is at least three days). Bill C-3 may change before it is passed and additional rules may follow in supporting regulations.

After introducing Bill C-3, the Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan advised that the government will engage in consultations with federally-regulated employers and workers to better understand the impact of these changes on their workplaces and local realities.

While these legislative amendments would only impact federally-regulated employers and employees, paid medical leave remains a topical issue in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Just two days before the federal government’s announcement, the British Columbia government announced that it would be amending its provincial employment standards legislation to provide a minimum of five days of paid sick leave per year as of January 1, 2022.

This will remain an area to watch for all Canadian employers.


This client update is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have any questions about the above, please contact a member of our Labour and Employment group.

 

Click here to subscribe to Stewart McKelvey Thought Leadership.

Archive

Privacy rights in the workplace: Supreme Court expands charter protections for public school teachers

BY Chad Sullivan & Chiara Nannucci

By Chad Sullivan and Chiara Nannucci Introduction A recent Supreme Court of Canada decision (York Region District School Board v. Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, 2024 SCC 22) has once…

Read More

New rules allowing Nova Scotia private sector employers to join Public Service Superannuation Plan take effect

BY Dante Manna & Noah Archibald

By Dante Manna and Noah Archibald The Provincial Government recently proclaimed the Private Sector Pension Plan Transfer Act (the “Transfer Act”) and newly released regulations on February 4, 2025. The…

Read More

Outlook for 2025 proxy season

By Andrew V. Burke, Colleen P. Keyes, Gavin Stuttard, David F. Slipp and Logan G. Walters With proxy season on the horizon, many public companies are once again preparing their…

Read More

Here we go again … how recent updates to Canada’s supply chain transparency reporting guidance may impact your 2025 reporting obligations

By Christine Pound, Colleen Keyes, K.C., and Daniel Roth As reporting entities and government institutions prepare their supply chain transparency reports, Public Safety Canada (“PSC“) has updated its guidance for…

Read More

Energy Watch 2025

Stewart McKelvey is pleased to present Energy Watch – a review of key legislative and policy advancements in the renewable energy sector in 2024 in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and a look forward to anticipated activities in 2025.

Read More

Land use planning in Prince Edward Island – the year in review

BY Curtis Doyle

By Curtis Doyle Once again, the time has come to review the year that was and to chart the course for the year ahead. For municipalities and planning professionals in…

Read More

The impact of possible tariff changes on Canadian importers and strategies for consideration (Part II)

BY Michelle Chai & Graeme Hiebert

By Michelle Chai and Graeme Hiebert This is the second in a two-part Thought Leadership series. To read Part I, click here. Appearance, design, best use, marketing and distribution While the…

Read More

Canada’s Energy Story: Energy Transition

Lawyers from our Energy Group were pleased to be featured in the latest issue of Canada’s Energy Story, an annual compendium of energy sector articles published by the Energy Council…

Read More

The impact of possible tariff changes on Canadian importers and strategies for consideration (Part I)

BY Michelle Chai & Graeme Hiebert

By Michelle Chai and Graeme Hiebert On January 20th, 2025, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as President of the United States. He has promised to swiftly impose tariffs on all…

Read More

Canada’s new criminal rate of interest takes effect

BY David Wedlake & Noah Archibald

By David Wedlake and Noah Archibald The Federal Government’s changes to the criminal rate of interest under the Criminal Code came into effect on January 1, 2025. These changes reduced…

Read More

Search Archive