Sick Notes Legislation Passes in Manitoba Legislature - Comes into Effect October 1, 2026

As of Monday, June 1, 2026, Bill 11 was passed in the Manitoba Legislature and will come into force in the fall. This means that, starting October 1, employers will only be allowed to request sick notes from employees if the absence is longer thanseven consecutive days or exceeds 10 scheduled workdays in the calendar year.

“CPHR Manitoba fully supports this change,” CPHR Manitoba CEO Ron Gauthier said in a December 2025 release about the Doctors Manitoba sick notes toolkit. “Eliminating sick notes for short-term minor illnesses will ease pressure on health care, build trust in workspaces, and will improve absence management.”

“Employers can transition smoothly with the benefit of this toolkit, and the support of human resource professionals.”

Resources

Doctors Manitoba Toolkit - Be Prepared for the Changes

CPHR Manitoba was proud to partner with Doctors Manitoba in creating and sharing the aforementioned sick notes toolkit to help HR professionals and employers navigate this change.

The includes:

• Sick Leave Policy Template for immediate adoption
  
• Self-Attestation Form Template for employees to confirm illness without a doctor’s note
  
• Absence Management Flow Chart to guide decision-making
  
• Guidance for Employee Engagement to support communication and trust
  
• Workplace Poster to explain the new approach
  
• Employee Health & Wellness Tip Sheet

This comprehensive toolkit includes clear guidance and useful templates on effective practices for managing absenteeism without sick notes.

Want to Learn More About the Specifics?

This MLT Aikins article will give you more insights into this amendment to parts of The Employment Standards Code, including limits, reimbursement obligation, and other related changes.

Stay tuned for an upcoming webinar!

Keep an eye on our Community Calendar for another webinar on this topic that will give you insights on how it will potentially affect your role.