Submitting proof of illness to the employer and its agents

United Nurses of Alberta has published a new Spotlight On Your Contract poster focusing on Article 19.04 of the Provincial Collective Agreement:

Under Article 19.04 of the United Nurses of Alberta Provincial Collective Agreement, employees requesting sick leave may be required to submit satisfactory proof to their employer and its agents of any illness, non-occupational accident or quarantine when circumstances make it reasonable to do so.

If an employee is applying for short-term or long-term disability, they may be required to submit satisfactory proof to the agent of the employer, the insurance company, when circumstances make it reasonable to do so.

If an employer requires an employee to provide proof of illness, such as a physician’s note, the employer must reimburse the Employee for any costs for that information.

Employees should be cautious about providing the employer with access to personal medical information. The employer could attempt to use the information to limit sick leave. An employee is not obligated to sign any medical information release form for the employer.

Important Note: An early version of the 2013-2017 Provincial Collective Agreement which was circulated electronically unintentionally omited a reference to the employers' agents in Article 19.04. The final version of the contract now includes the correct wording of Article 19.04.