Sick leave in Alberta is unpaid. Employees who've worked 90 days for the same employer can take up to 5 days a year of personal and family responsibility leave for their own health, and up to 27 weeks a year of long-term illness and injury leave.
This page uses the Government of Alberta's own leave pages, checked in October 2026. The headline people don't expect: Alberta's employment standards don't require any paid sick days. That's very different from British Columbia, where employees get 5 paid days, as my BC sick leave guide explains.
Alberta's two sick leave rules
| Personal and family responsibility leave | Long-term illness and injury leave | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Up to 5 days per calendar year | Up to 27 weeks per calendar year |
| Paid? | No, unless your contract says so | No, unless your contract says so |
| Eligibility | 90 days with the same employer | 90 days with the same employer |
| Medical certificate | Not required by law; employer policy may ask | Required, stating the estimated length of leave |
| Carry over | No | Entitlement resets each calendar year |
The 5 days: personal and family responsibility leave
This is the leave most people mean when they talk about sick days in Alberta. It can be taken when it's needed for the health of the employee, or for the employee to meet family responsibilities for a family member. Family members include a partner, parents, foster parents and guardians, children and foster children, a partner's children, and anyone else living with the employee as part of their family.
- You can take up to 5 days each calendar year.
- Unused days don't carry over into the next year.
- Unused days don't have to be paid out if your employment ends.
- You must give notice as soon as is reasonable before taking a day.
- The law doesn't require a medical note, but employers can set their own documentation policies.
That last point is the one to check in your handbook. The Code doesn't demand a doctor's note, but your employer's policy might.
The 27 weeks: long-term illness and injury leave
For a serious illness or injury, employees can take up to 27 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave each calendar year. The rules are stricter than for the 5 days:
- Get a medical certificate from a nurse practitioner or physician that states the estimated length of the leave.
- Give it to your employer before the leave starts, or as soon as is reasonable if you can't.
- Give written notice as soon as is reasonable, including your estimated return date.
- Tell your employer if that return date changes.
- Give at least 1 week's written notice of the date you'll return, unless you agree otherwise.
- Give at least 2 weeks' written notice if you won't be returning after the leave.
An employer doesn't have to reinstate an employee who doesn't give notice or doesn't report to work on their next scheduled day after the leave, unless that's due to unforeseeable or unpreventable circumstances.
Job protection while you're off
Both leaves are job-protected. Employers must give you the same or an equivalent job when you return, and you're treated as continuously employed when years of service are worked out. An employer can't terminate or lay off an employee during personal and family responsibility leave. During long-term illness and injury leave, the only exception is if the employer suspends or discontinues the business, and if it starts up again within 52 weeks after the leave ends, the employee must be reinstated.
Annual vacation earned before the leave still has to be taken within 12 months of being earned, so you may need to take it at the end of the leave or agree a later date. My vacation pay in Alberta guide has the details.
Where pay can come from
Because employers don't have to pay wages during either leave, pay usually comes from somewhere else: your employment contract or collective agreement, an employer benefit plan, or federal Employment Insurance for long-term illness. Alberta points out that EI eligibility and eligibility for job-protected leave can be different, so check both.
Other leaves to know about
Sick leave isn't the only job-protected leave in Alberta. The province also lists bereavement leave, compassionate care leave, critical illness leave, domestic violence leave and death or disappearance of child leave, among others. Each has its own eligibility and notice rules, so if a family member is seriously ill, check those pages rather than using up your 5 days.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Making a complaint
If you think your employer isn't following the Employment Standards Code, you can make a complaint while you're still employed and up to 6 months after your last day of employment. The rules sit in Part 2, Division 7.6 of the Code for personal and family responsibility leave and Division 7.5 for long-term illness and injury leave.
My verdict
If you work in Alberta, assume a sick day is unpaid unless your contract says otherwise, and check your employer's policy on notes before you need it. Employers who want to compete for staff often offer paid sick days on top of the law, and it's worth asking about at hiring, before you need it rather than after. For the wider picture, see my guide to Alberta employment standards.
Frequently asked questions
Does Alberta have paid sick days?
No. Alberta's employment standards give unpaid leave only. Pay depends on your contract, collective agreement or benefits.
How many sick days do you get in Alberta?
Up to 5 days of unpaid personal and family responsibility leave per calendar year, after 90 days with the same employer.
Do I need a doctor's note for a sick day in Alberta?
The law doesn't require one for personal and family responsibility leave, but employers can set their own documentation policies.
How long can I take off for a serious illness in Alberta?
Up to 27 weeks of unpaid long-term illness and injury leave per calendar year, with a medical certificate.
Can my employer fire me while I'm on sick leave in Alberta?
No. An employer can't terminate or lay off an employee during job-protected leave, except during long-term illness and injury leave if the business is suspended or discontinued.
Do unused sick days carry over in Alberta?
No. Unused personal and family responsibility days don't carry over and don't have to be paid out when employment ends.
