As a small business owner in Alberta, you pour your energy into creating great products, delivering excellent service and building relationships. Employee leave of absence policies can be less familiar territory. Yet, when one of your team members needs to take sick leave to support their health, how you respond doesn’t only impact legal compliance. Supporting your team through illness or injury is one of the most impactful ways you can build a workplace where people feel valued and want to stick around.
This article will help you understand your duties and best practices when it comes to managing paid sick leave and other medical leaves. We’ll focus on supportive communication strategies and return-to-work planning.
The information provided in this article about employee sick leave is intended for general educational and informational purposes only.
Understanding employment standards for sick leave in Alberta
In Alberta, sick leave is governed by the Employment Standards Code and Employment Standards Regulation. Not to be confused with paid time off (PTO), a leave of absence allows employees experiencing challenging circumstances to take time away from work. Here’s what you need to know:
- Job-protected sick leave: Employees who’ve been employed with you for at least 90 days are eligible for unpaid job-protected sick leave if they’re unable to work due to illness or injury.
- Duty to accommodate: As an employer, you have a duty to adjust policies or work environments so an employee can fully participate in work–unless doing so would cause undue hardship (like serious safety risks or very high costs).
While you might outsource some aspects of absence management, remember that your legal responsibilities remain with you as the employer. These standards form the foundation for developing your paid sick leave policies.
Why clear sick leave policies matter
For small businesses, where every team member plays a key role, well-defined sick leave policies aren’t just about compliance. They’re for creating stability and trust. Clear policies help you:
- Support your team’s wellbeing: When employees know they can take sick time without fear of repercussions, they’re more likely to focus on recovery and return to work feeling valued.
- Create fairness and consistency: Clear guidelines prevent confusion and perceived favouritism in how you handle absences, which builds trust within your team.
- Stay compliant with policy: Creating policies aligned with Alberta Employment Standards will help you feel prepared and avoid violations in each situation.
- Keep operations running smoothly: When everyone knows the process for reporting absences and covering responsibilities, disruptions are minimized. This is vital for small teams.
What information can you request during an employee sick leave?
When an employee tells you about an illness or injury that will require time away from work, it’s important to know what information you can legally request. Let’s break it down:
Employers can ask for:
- Reasonable proof of illness/injury (a doctor’s note)
- Expected duration of the absence
- Functional limitations related to work duties
Employers cannot ask for:
- Medical records
- A diagnosis or specific medical details
- Unrelated personal lifestyle information
If an employee voluntarily shares medical information with you, you must:
- Keep it confidential and separate from regular HR files
- Limit access to those who need to know, for accommodations
- Document what was shared, when and why
First steps when an employee reports a leave of absence
When one of your team members calls in sick, here’s a straightforward and supportive approach to handling the situation:
1. Respond with empathy
- Remember that most employees don’t want to be sick and may feel guilty or worry about the stigma around missing work.
- Thank them for informing you and express your support. A simple “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well, please focus on getting better” sets the right tone.
2. Check what leave options apply to them
- Consider what your company offers: Paid sick days, short-term disability, personal days or unpaid leave of absence.
3. Request only what you need
- Ask for the expected duration of absence, without asking about diagnosis.
- For an absence of a day or two, detailed documentation is usually unnecessary.
- For longer absences, clearly explain what information you need and why.
4. Discuss temporary arrangements, if appropriate
- Some employees might be able to work remotely or with reduced hours.
- Always prioritize recovery—pushing too hard can extend absence time.
- Ensure any arrangements are supported by medical advice.
5. Keep good records
- Note when the employee reported their absence and expected return.
- Document any accommodations discussed or arrangements made.
- Keep this information confidential and secure.
Communication best practices to support your team’s wellbeing
How you communicate about employee illness can make all the difference in building trust across your team and supporting your employee’s recovery.
1. Keep it human and supportive
- Remember you’re talking to a person who isn’t feeling well, not managing a policy violation.
- Ask open questions like “What would help make your return easier when you’re ready?”
2. Be clear about expectations
- Explain what’s expected from all parties, such as reporting changes in condition and attending check-ins.
- Share what will happen with their workload while they’re away.
3. Focus on solutions, not problems
- Instead of dwelling on work challenges caused by their absence, collaborate on manageable return plans
- Emphasize their recovery as the priority
When communicating with the rest of your team members:
1. Respect privacy while providing clarity
- Don’t disclose medical details or reasons for the employee’s absence.
- Focus on operational adjustments: “Sam will be out this week, so we’ll need to adjust the client meeting schedule.”
2. Set the tone for a supportive culture
- How you speak about absent employees influences how your team views sick leave.
- Discourage speculation or complaints about someone’s absence.
3. Be guided by the employee’s wishes
- If the employee has preferences about what information can be shared to support them at work, follow their lead.
Requesting medical documentation: When, what and how
While we’ve covered what information you can legally request earlier, knowing precisely when to ask for documentation and how to approach it requires thoughtful consideration. For small businesses where each absence has a significant impact, striking the right balance is key.
When it makes sense to ask for a doctor’s note
- For absences extending beyond a few days
- When planning accommodations or modified duties
- If there are safety concerns about the employee’s return
What documentation should include
- Information about work capabilities and functional limitations
- Expected duration of limitations or accommodations needed
Keep your expectations reasonable
- Consider the administrative burden on the employee who’s trying to recover
- For minor illnesses with quick recovery, documentation may create added stress
- Focus on documentation that helps you support the employee’s successful return
Managing return-to-work accommodations and modified duties
When an employee is ready to return to work after an extended absence, a thoughtful approach is key to reducing anxiety and ensuring they feel supported.
1. Have a welcome-back conversation
- Start with checking how they’re feeling, not with work demands
- Engage the employee in a supportive, two-way discussion about what they feel ready to do
2. Understand their current capabilities
- Use a Functional Abilities Form (FAF) to guide you
- A FAF is a document completed by a healthcare provider that outlines an employee’s abilities and limitations without revealing medical diagnosis
- Focus on the capabilities, not limitations—ask what they can do rather than what they can’t
3. Create a clear written return-to-work plan
- Include temporary duties, reduced hours or workplace accommodations
- Set a review date to reassess progress and adjust the plan if needed
- Clearly state that the arrangement is temporary and based on current capabilities
4. Monitor and document progress
- Keep open lines of communication—check in regularly
- Track changes in work capacity or support needs
- Ensure documentation is confidential and separate from the regular personnel file
Understanding short-term disability and the elimination period
If your company offers short-term disability (STD) benefits, you should understand the “elimination period”. An elimination period is the time between when an employee reports their illness and when their disability benefits begin. This period:
- Typically ranges from a few days to several weeks for STD
- May be longer (often 90+ days) for long-term disability (LTD)
- Usually requires employees to use sick leave, paid time off or unpaid leave during this time
Key considerations during the elimination period
- For employees without STD coverage: They should apply for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, if eligible
- Employers must: Issue a Record of Employment (ROE) promptly to enable EI applications
- For LTD planning: The elimination period affects application timing—engage with your LTD provider early
- Coordination is key: Work with the employee and benefit providers to ensure smooth transitions
Employer responsibilities during an employee’s leave of absence
During an employee’s absence, your responsibilities include:
- Ensuring employees understand company policies, benefits and available resources
- Providing guidance on the available leave options
- Maintaining open communication to support the employee and your team
- Protecting confidentiality of the employee’s medical information
- Assisting with benefits coordination and paperwork
- Planning for the employee’s potential return to work
Applying best practices: A real-world example
To illustrate how these principles work in practice, consider this situation faced by many workplaces:
Use case: Managing intermittent leave for serious illness
An employee shares a cancer diagnosis but wants to remain at work. The employer contacts their regular LTD case manager to ensure that allowing the employee to remain working wouldn’t negatively impact their benefits.
The case manager refers the employer to the LTD policy:
- Non-continuous disability days can count toward the Elimination Period if: No interruption exceeds 30 days
The employer tracked the employee’s absences to ensure gaps remained under 30 days within the defined period. When the employee couldn’t return to full duties after the elimination period, they successfully applied for LTD.
This approach balanced the employee’s desire to work, proper leave of absence management and protection of their benefits eligibility. As a result, thoughtful paid sick leave management benefits both employee and employer.
Navigate employee sick leave with confidence
Download our comprehensive checklist to support you through employee leave management. This summary covers:
- Initial response and documentation steps
- Communication templates for various situations
- Tracking templates for paid sick leave and accommodation plans
- Return-to-work planning tools
- Legal compliance reminders specific to Alberta
Support your team while protecting your business
Managing employee leave requires a balance of legal compliance, operational needs and human compassion. By establishing clear policies, maintaining appropriate documentation and promoting open communication, you can navigate these situations while supporting both your employees and small business.
Remember that investing time in properly supporting an employee leave isn’t just about legal compliance—it feeds into a workplace culture that values employee wellbeing. A healthy workplace culture ultimately contributes to improved morale, productivity and retention.
Alberta Blue Cross® offers Group benefits plans tailored to the needs of small businesses. Contact us to learn how we can help you provide valuable health benefits that support your employees during life’s challenging moments.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article about employee sick leave is intended for general educational and informational purposes only. This content should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. We recommend regularly reviewing official government resources for the most current regulations in your jurisdiction, as employment standards are subject to change.
