← Back to Binder HR
Legislative Update

Manitoba sick-note limits take effect October 1

Employers will be barred from demanding a sick note for an absence of one week or less, or for up to 10 sick days in a calendar year.

What changes

Manitoba’s new sick-note rules take effect October 1, 2026. An employer cannot require a note when an employee is sick for one week or less, or when the employee has missed 10 sick days or fewer in the same calendar year, even when those days are spread out.

What remains outside the restriction

The province distinguishes a short-term sick note from medical information used for a longer leave, accommodation, insurance or safe return-to-work planning. Those records can still be requested where the relevant process requires them.

When a sick note can be required, employers must accept notes from the listed health professionals, including physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, psychologists and midwives. If the employee is charged for the note, the employer must reimburse a reasonable cost after receiving proof of payment.

View primary source ↗