Doctor Kate Hayman of the Decent Work and Health Network spoke to Global News about the health risks involved in requiring employees to get sick notes. Read the full article here.
With flu season rearing its ugly head, the hotly debated topic of whether employers should be able to require sick notes for missed work has returned.
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) has called the practice a “public health risk” — and there’s data to support those fears.Meghan Collie, Global News
A 2018 survey conducted by IPSOS found that eight in 10 Canadians would go to work sick if their employer required sick notes for minor illnesses.
Sick notes pose a threat
The Decent Work & Health Network (DWHN) advocates for better employment conditions in Ontario. They believe workplace policy directly impacts employee health, and members have expressed concern over sick note policy.
“Work is one of the biggest things that Canadians spend their lives doing. It has a tremendous impact on their health,” said Dr. Kate Hayman, an emergency doctor at the University Health Network in Toronto and a member of the DWHN.Meghan Collie, Global News
“We consider work to be a major social determinant of health … and that workplace policy really impacts people’s health.”