Why Seven Provinces Now Offer 27 Weeks of Medical Leave — and What Employers Need to Know

Something notable has happened across several Canadian provinces: seven provinces now provide employees with a job-protected leave of absence for personal illness or injury lasting up to 27 weeks . The provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia (since January 1, 2025), and Ontario (since June 19, 2025). This convergence did not happen overnight. Each province arrived at 27 weeks through its own legislative process, at different times, and with different eligibility rules. But the end result is a consistent trend that signals where Canadian employment standards are heading — and it creates a specific compliance challenge for employers, because federal Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits cover up to 26 weeks. Note: the usual one-week EI waiting period is temporarily waived for new claims — the government announced an extension to October 10, 2026, so the timing of any income gap depends on when the claim begins . That one-week gap between provincial leave protection and federal income support has real consequences for return-to-work planning, accommodation obligations, and payroll administration. This guide explains what employers need to know. Province Leave Name Maximum Duration Key Eligibility Conditions Alberta Long-Term Illness and Injury Leave 27 weeks in a 52-week period Employee must have 90 days of employment; medical certificate required British Columbia Serious personal illness or injury leave 27 weeks in a 52-week period No minimum service requirement; medical certificate confirming inability to work. In force since November 28, 2025 Saskatchewan Serious illness or injury leave 27 weeks in a 52-week period Available after 13 weeks of employment; medical documentation may be required Manitoba Long-term leave (illness/injury) 27 weeks in a 52-week period Available after 90 days of employment; medical certificate required Nova Scotia Serious illness or injury leave 27 weeks in a 52-week period Available since January 1, 2025; employee must have at least 3 months of employment; medical confirmation if requested by the employer Ontario Long-term illness leave 27 weeks in a 52-week period Available since June 19, 2025; employee must have been employed for at least 13 weeks; medical certificate required Newfoundland and Labrador Long-term illness or injury leave 27 weeks in a 52-week period Available after at least 30 days of continuous employment with the same employer; medical documentation required Each province's leave is job-protected , meaning the employer must hold the employee's position (or a comparable one) open for the duration of the leave. The employee is not entitled to wages during the leave unless the employer's own policies or a collective agreement provide for paid leave — but they cannot be terminated for taking the leave. Federal EI sickness benefits were extended from 15 weeks to up to 26 weeks in December 2022. There is normally a one-week waiting period before benefits begin, but this waiting period is temporarily waived for new claims — the government announced an extension to October 10, 2026. When the waiver is not in effect, the income gap typically occurs at the start of the claim. Employers should check whether the waiver is active at the time of their employee's claim. What happens during week 27? The employee's job is still protected under provincial law — the employer cannot terminate them. EI sickness benefits may have ended — the employee may have no federal income replacement (benefits cover up to 26 weeks, typically after a one-week waiting period). The employee may or may not be ready to return to work. This creates three distinct scenarios employers must be prepared to manage: Employee returns to work during week 27: Standard return-to-work process applies. The employer should confirm fitness for duty (a medical clearance note is generally appropriate at this stage) and facilitate any necessary workplace accommodations. Employee cannot return at week 27 but has a path to recovery: The employer's duty to accommodate under human rights legislation does not end when the statutory leave ends. If the employee's medical condition constitutes a disability, the employer must explore accommodation options to the point of undue hardship — which may include extended unpaid leave beyond the statutory 27 weeks. Employee cannot return and no return date is foreseeable: Even in this scenario, termination is not automatic. The employer must demonstrate that continued accommodation would constitute undue hardship, considering factors such as the size of the organization, the cost of accommodation, and the impact on operations. The one-week gap is small in duration but significant in compliance risk. Employers who assume the leave simply "ends" at week 27 without considering their accommodation obligations risk human rights complaints. Managing a 27-week medical absence requires proactive planning — not just at the e