Employer- and school-mandated verification of minor illness leads patients to use healthcare resources solely to obtain a "sick note". This puts unnecessary strain on the patient and the emergency department (ED), and threatens to spread communicable diseases in our community. The Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians advocates for a ban on sick-note requirements by employers and schools via federal or provincial legislation, and encourages patients with minor illnesses to stay at home and recover if they do not feel they require acute medical assessment

Authors: Jesse McLaren, Kate Hayman, Hasan Sheikh