Residents of Nova Scotia who are unable to work due to illness no longer need to provide a sick note signed by a doctor in most circumstances.

The government of the largest Atlantic province issued a press release stating that employers are not allowed to request a sick note unless the employee has been absent for more than five working days or has previously been absent twice for five days or less each time within the last 12 months.

The statement added that if a sick note is needed, the employee can request it from any regulated healthcare provider, including nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and social workers, which reduces the burden on doctors.

These new rules came into effect on July 1 and come after years of testimony from healthcare professionals saying that requiring sick notes from doctors for routine illnesses is an obstacle to the healthcare system and can delay timely care for those who really need it.

When the Patients’ Right to Care Act was first introduced in March, Nova Scotia’s Health Minister, Michelle Thompson, said that filling out sick notes is "a waste of precious time for our doctors."

At that time, an official from the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Skills and Immigration stated that provincial doctors spend an estimated 50,000 hours per year writing sick notes.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Skills and Immigration, Jill Balser, said that this step will also reduce the burden on patients in Nova Scotia, as they will no longer worry about getting a sick note while recovering from illness.

The legislation received royal assent in April, the final step required to become law, and it also includes new rules to ease barriers for licensed healthcare providers from other jurisdictions to be able to work in Nova Scotia.