Workers Get Paid Sick and Bereavement Leave

Summary#

• This bill changes Nova Scotia’s Labour Standards Code (employment law). Its main goal is to give workers paid sick and bereavement leave and to protect workers who ask their employer to follow the law.
• It adds a clear rule that an employer cannot punish a worker for asking the employer to follow the Labour Standards Code.
• It creates paid leave that workers can use for illness or emergencies (including mental health) and for deaths in the family or of a dependent.
• Workers earn one paid day per month with the same pay they would have earned, up to 10 days per year.
• Employers cannot ask for a doctor’s note, but they can ask for other proof that is reasonable for the situation.
• The Code’s standard job‑protection rules for leaves also apply to this new paid leave.

What it means for you#

• Workers

  • You earn 1 paid day off for every month you work for the same employer, up to 10 paid days each year.
  • You can use these paid days if you are sick, injured, have a medical emergency, or for mental health needs.
  • You can also use them if your spouse, parent, step‑parent, foster parent, child, step‑child, foster child, grandparent, step‑grandparent, your child’s spouse, sibling, step‑sibling, foster sibling, or a person who depends on you dies.
  • You must tell your employer as soon as you reasonably can when you need the leave.
  • You will be paid your normal wages for the leave day, as if you had worked.
  • Your employer may ask for reasonable proof (for example, something that shows the need for leave), but they cannot ask for a doctor’s note.
  • The usual protections for taking leave under the Code apply. In plain terms, your job is protected while you are on this leave.

• New employees

  • Your paid days build up over time. After 1 month, you have 1 day; after 3 months, you have 3 days, and so on, up to 10 days in a year.

• Employers

  • You must provide up to 10 paid days per employee per year, earned at 1 day per month, for illness (including mental health), injury, medical emergencies, or eligible bereavement.
  • Pay employees their regular wages for these leave days.
  • Do not ask for doctor’s notes. You may request other reasonable evidence and should allow a reasonable time to provide it.
  • Update policies, payroll, and scheduling to reflect the new paid leave and the ban on doctor’s notes.
  • Do not penalize a worker for asking you to follow the Labour Standards Code.

Expenses#

• No publicly available information.
• Most direct costs would fall on employers that do not already offer paid sick or bereavement leave, since they will pay wages for leave days that are taken.
• The province may have minor administrative costs to update guidance and handle complaints.

Proponents' View#

• Paid sick days let people stay home when ill, which can reduce the spread of illness at work and keep others healthier.
• Including mental health makes the law modern and fair, treating mental and physical health the same.
• Paid bereavement leave gives families time to grieve and handle urgent tasks after a death without losing pay.
• Banning doctor’s notes lowers strain on clinics and saves workers time and money.
• Clear protection against punishment encourages workers to speak up when employers break the law.
• Standard rules across workplaces create a level playing field for workers and responsible employers.

Opponents' View#

• Paying for up to 10 leave days per worker could raise costs for small businesses and make scheduling harder, especially with short notice.
• Without doctor’s notes, some worry the leave could be misused, and employers will have trouble verifying absences.
• Businesses that already offer custom leave plans may need to change them, adding administrative work.
• More paid leave could lead to higher overtime or replacement costs to cover shifts.
• Unclear what counts as “reasonable” proof may cause disputes between employers and workers.