Legislative changes in Canadian provinces like Quebec are prompting shifts in how businesses manage employee absences. With the introduction of Quebec Bill 68, which aims to reduce the administrative burden on physicians by altering absence documentation requirements, employers face the challenge of adjusting their practices according to new legal standards. Leveraging advanced workforce absence software and employee management software becomes crucial to ensuring compliance and enhancing operational efficiency.
Due to Quebec’s notable shortage of family doctors, the Royal Assent was received by Quebec Bill 68 on October 9, 2024 (an Act mainly to reduce physician’s administrative burden). This legislative change, in effect as of January 1, 2025, significantly reforms how employers will handle employee absences by preventing the requirement for medical documentation to support certain short-term absences.
The government estimates that the measures included in Quebec Bill 68 will free up approximately 600,000 doctor appointment slots each year, making them available for patients needing medical attention. This shift highlights an increase in healthcare accessibility and efficiency, providing relief to an overburdened system. The two sections within Bill 68 that Quebec employers are most affected by are new protections for absences due to sickness and family obligation leave. As you review your process and guidelines for managing employee absences carefully review the legislative language within Bill 68.
Areas Employers are Impacted by the New Legislation Include:
- Absences due to Sickness and Other Personal Emergencies: Previously, the Quebec “Act Respecting Labour Standards” allowed employers to request employees to provide medical documentation for absences due to illness, accidents, organ and tissue donation for transplant, or situations involving domestic or sexual violence, and criminal offenses. Under the new regulations of Bill 68, employers may not request documentation attesting to the reasons for the absence during the first three absences of three consecutive days or less each year.
- Family Obligation Leave: Employees are entitled to up to ten days of leave per year for obligations related to the care, health, or education of a child or a spouse’s child, or due to the health of a relative for whom the employee acts as a caregiver. While employers formerly could request medical certification under certain conditions, Bill 68 now prohibits requesting medical certificates for these family-related absences, though other reasonable documentation might still be needed.
As these legislative changes take effect, Quebec employers must thoroughly review and update their policies, practices, and union contracts that previously mandated medical certificates or other documentation to support employee absences. Non-compliance with Bill 68 can result in severe penalties. This trend of curbing the use of medical documentation to justify employee absences is catching on, as seen with new legislation in Ontario prohibiting the request of a doctor’s note for up to three unpaid sick days under the Ontario Employment Standards Act.
The passing of Bill 68 signifies a move toward easing the administrative workload on healthcare professionals and realigning workforce management practices with contemporary health policy goals. As similar legislative shifts are becoming more widespread, the essential nature of workforce absence software and comprehensive employee management software is underscored. These tools offer a pathway to compliance with new laws and streamline absence management operations, enhancing overall workplace flexibility and support. By staying proactive and knowledgeable on advanced software solutions to improve your absence management processes, organizations can successfully support compliance through changing governmental regulations.
See how workforce absence software can be tailored to your company’s required compliance regulations.
