3. Learn about long-term illness leave
Question and answer
Can I take time off work if I get sick or injured?You may be able to take long-term illness leave if you worked for your employer for at least 13 weeks in a row.
You need a medical certificate from a doctor, registered nurse, or psychologist that says:
- you have a serious medical condition
- how long you must be off work because of your serious medical condition
The certificate does not have to say what the medical condition is.
Your employer does not have to pay you for the leave, unless you have a contract or workplace policy that says they do. Read more in the Answer under the heading Getting paid.
How long you can take
You may be able to take up to 27 weeks of long-term illness leave over a period of 52 weeks.
But if your medical certificate says you can go back to work before 27 weeks, your leave ends on that day.
If you took less than 27 weeks of leave, you can get a new medical certificate to:
- make your leave last longer, or
- take a new leave.
But you cannot take more than a total of 27 weeks of long-term illness leave over a period of 52 weeks.
If you only take part of a week off as leave, your employer can count it as a full week.
Human rights
You might be able to get more time off work because of Ontario's human rights laws. To find out more, go to Step 5.
Tell your employer
Tell your employer as soon as you know you need to take a leave.
If you must start your leave before talking to your employer, contact them as soon as you can.
You must tell your employer in writing. You can send an email, text message, or letter.
Proving you need a leave
Your employer can ask for a copy of your medical certificate. But they do not have the right to know about your specific medical condition or treatment.