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ARTICLE · 28 MAY 2024

Amendments To Ontario Laws Put A Clamp On Requesting Doctors' Notes

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The Working for Workers Five Act, 2024, proposes another wave of employee-friendly amendments to Ontario employment laws.

CanadaEmployment and HR
Paul Jeronimo
Paul Jeronimo
Bret Lercher
Bret Lercher
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The Working for Workers Five Act, 2024, proposes another wave of employee-friendly amendments to Ontario employment laws.

On May 6, 2024, Ontario's legislature introduced Bill 190, the Workers for Workers Five Act, 2024. It is the latest in a series of amendments to the Province's employment laws designed to enhance employee workplace protections and, at the same time, impose additional obligations on employers.

Doctors' notes

Of the amendments introduced, the most significant is a prohibition from seeking documentation from a qualified health practitioner as evidence to support an employee taking the protected sick leave under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the "ESA"). Sick leave under the ESA provides employees with three unpaid days off per year for personal illness, injury or medical emergency.

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