Doctors at a medical clinic in Pemberton are handing out letters instead of sick notes, asking employers to stop requiring sick notes and wasting people乌鸦传媒檚 time.
Local resident Becca Moriarty, 26, posted a photo of the letter to her Facebook page this week, after going in to get a sick note for her boss.
The letter says a policy requiring a sick note for missed time puts an 乌鸦传媒渁dded burden乌鸦传媒� on the healthcare system, taking up resources that could be used on people are who actually ill.
乌鸦传媒淧eople seeking sick notes 乌鸦传媒� who otherwise wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 see a doctor 乌鸦传媒� end up in physicians乌鸦传媒� offices, walk-in clinics and emergency department waiting rooms,乌鸦传媒� it says. 乌鸦传媒淭here, they may spread germs to pregnant women, frail elderly people, cancer patients and babies 乌鸦传媒� all of whom are vulnerable to communicable disease.乌鸦传媒�
It also says the doctors find it difficult to charge someone for a requirement from their employer, since sick notes aren乌鸦传媒檛 insured by MSP, and gives the employer a warning: continue to require medical notes and be prepared to receive a $50 invoice for each one.
乌鸦传媒淎s Canadian residents, we are lucky to have our healthcare system, but citizens乌鸦传媒� inability to access the systems services in a timely fashion is a growing problem,乌鸦传媒� the letter says. 乌鸦传媒淚 hope you will consider changing your current absenteeism policy to help reduce the unnecessary burden on our health-care system and improve access for all British Columbians.乌鸦传媒�
When she handed the letter to her boss, she said the reaction was 乌鸦传媒渃omplete confusion.乌鸦传媒�
Moriarty 乌鸦传媒� who works in the food industry 乌鸦传媒� added she sees both sides to the issue of sick notes.
乌鸦传媒淚 understand the employer needs to know, but that comes down to: we乌鸦传媒檙e adults, this isn乌鸦传媒檛 school anymore, I don乌鸦传媒檛 need a note from my mom saying I乌鸦传媒檓 not going to be at school,乌鸦传媒� she said, adding she乌鸦传媒檇 much rather be at work making money than sick at home.
A person who answered the phone at the clinic said the doctors do not wish to be interviewed.
