Sick leave in BC gives employees 5 paid days and 3 unpaid days of job-protected leave each calendar year once they've worked 90 days for the employer. Each paid day is paid at an average day's pay, and unused days don't carry over to the next year.
This is the illness or injury leave in section 49.1 of BC's Employment Standards Act, as explained on the Government of British Columbia's leaves of absence page in October 2026. It's separate from the much longer unpaid leave for serious illness, which I cover below.
BC sick leave at a glance
| Rule | What BC requires |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | After 90 days of employment |
| Paid days | 5 a calendar year, January 1 to December 31 |
| Unpaid days | 3 a calendar year |
| Pay | At least an average day's pay per paid day |
| Carry over | None |
| Advance notice | Not required, tell the employer as soon as you can |
| Two part-time jobs | Full entitlement from each, after 90 days with each |
When the first year's entitlement starts
Because the year runs January to December, the start date decides the first year. BC's examples: someone who starts on February 1 is entitled to 5 paid days from May 2 to December 31, then 5 more from January 1. Someone who starts on December 1 gets nothing that year, then 5 paid days from March 1 the next year.
The doctor's note rule
This is the insight most employers don't know. In BC, an employer can't ask for a doctor's note, and the employee doesn't have to provide one, unless:
- the leave lasts longer than 5 consecutive days, or
- it's the employee's third or later health-related leave of 5 consecutive days or less in the same calendar year
Employers can still ask for reasonably sufficient proof, such as a pharmacy receipt, a hospital bracelet or a signed confirmation from the employee. What's reasonable depends on the situation: proof for one missed day with a migraine may not be, while a pattern of sick days before long weekends may justify asking.
How to calculate an average day's pay
- Take the 30 calendar days before the first day of the leave.
- Add up all wages earned in that time, including salary, commission, statutory holiday pay, paid vacation and paid sick days. Leave out overtime.
- Divide by the number of days worked in that period, counting vacation days and paid sick days.
- Pay that amount for each paid sick day, whatever the scheduled shift length was.
BC's example: a food service employee on $20 an hour worked 20 of the last 30 days for 112 non-overtime hours, so $2240 divided by 20 days gives $112 for each sick day, as of October 2026. The scheduled hours don't change it either way. Someone scheduled for a 2-hour Saturday who calls in sick still gets a full average day's pay.
Sick days, stat holidays and vacation pay
If an employee qualifies for statutory holiday pay and takes a paid sick day on that holiday, they get an average day's pay for both. Paid sick days also count as wages when you calculate vacation pay.
What reasonable proof looks like
BC gives employers some practical guidance. Allow a reasonable time for proof, because someone who fell ill without warning may not be able to gather it straight away. If they have electronic evidence they can send from home, it may be reasonable to ask for it during the leave. Be mindful of privacy limits when asking for medical information. And even where you're allowed to ask for a sick note, the employee may be able to meet the proof requirement another way.
Casual and irregular schedules
Casual staff qualify the same way once they pass 90 days. BC's example: a long-serving casual employee who works one 8-hour shift on March 1, after earning nothing in January or February, and calls in sick for a 3-hour shift on March 2, is owed 8 hours of wages for the sick day, because that's their average day's pay over the previous 30 days.
Longer illnesses and family leave
Regardless of how long they've worked for you, an employee who can't work because of their own serious illness or injury can take up to 27 weeks of unpaid leave within a 52-week period, taken in units of whole weeks. Family responsibility leave gives up to 5 unpaid days a year to care for a child under 19 or another immediate family member, and compassionate care leave allows up to 27 weeks to care for a family member who is terminally ill.
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My verdict
Track sick days per calendar year, pay them at the 30-day average, and drop the blanket doctor's note policy, because in BC it's only allowed in two situations. A simple signed confirmation from the employee covers most short absences. Remember the pay rate sits on top of the BC minimum wage, and if you also employ people in Ontario, compare sick leave in Ontario, which works very differently.
Frequently asked questions
How many paid sick days do you get in BC?
5 paid days and 3 unpaid days of illness or injury leave each calendar year, after 90 days of employment.
Can my employer ask for a doctor's note in BC?
Only if the leave lasts more than 5 consecutive days, or you take more than 2 health-related leaves of 5 consecutive days or less in the same calendar year.
Do unused sick days carry over in BC?
No. Unused illness or injury leave doesn't carry over from year to year.
When can a new employee use sick days in BC?
After 90 days of employment. Someone who started on June 1 can take 5 paid sick days from August 30 to December 31 of that year.
Do paid sick days count towards vacation pay in BC?
Yes. Vacation pay must be paid on total wages, and that includes paid sick leave.
Do part-time workers get paid sick days in BC?
Yes. After 90 days of employment they get 5 paid and 3 unpaid days a year, and someone with 2 part-time jobs gets that from each job.
How much is a paid sick day in BC?
At least an average day's pay, worked out from wages earned over the 30 calendar days before the leave divided by the days worked, leaving out overtime.
