Workers in BC dealing with a serious illness or injury could soon have stronger job protection while they recover.
The province is introducing an amendment to the Employment Standards Act that would allow employees to take up to 27 weeks of unpaid, job-protected medical leave within a 12-month period.
The change brings BC in line with other provinces and with federal Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits, which also provide up to 27 weeks of financial support.
“People should never have to choose between their job and their health,” said Premier David Eby. “This ensures workers can focus on recovery knowing their job will still be there when they’re ready to return.”
Until now, BC workers had no long-term job-protected medical leave written into the act, meaning those who became seriously ill had to rely on general human-rights protections instead.
The new rule would make that protection explicit for anyone covered by the Employment Standards Act who can’t work for at least a week due to illness or injury.
“At a crucial time in their lives, people need to know their job is safe,” said BC Labour Minister Jennifer Whiteside.
“Every year about 31,000 people in BC are diagnosed with cancer, and this assurance matters deeply to them and their families.”
Under the new proposal, leave can be taken all at once or in separate blocks that will make it easier for people who need recurring treatment such as chemotherapy or who live with episodic conditions like multiple sclerosis.
To qualify, workers would need a medical certificate from a doctor or nurse practitioner confirming their condition and the time required off.
Cathy Carson, a breast-cancer survivor from Victoria, said the policy “gives people facing cancer the assurance that their job will be waiting for them when they are ready to return.”
BC now joins provinces such as Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, which already provide similar 27-week unpaid sick leaves.
Officials estimate about 8% to 12% of the Canadian workforce is off work at any given time due to injury or illness, and say this update will help build a more inclusive and compassionate workplace culture across the province.
