Sick leave · Federal
Federal paid and unpaid sick leave.
How many sick days Federal law gives an employee and whether they are paid. Enter your length of service to see your days.
Federally regulated employees earn up to 10 days of paid medical leave per year after an initial 30-day qualifying period of continuous employment.
Your situation
Your sick leave days
Enter your length of service and press Calculate.
Federal: paid sick leave rules in detail
| Point | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Paid days | Up to 10 per year |
| Qualifying period | An initial 30-day period of continuous employment |
| Longer absences | Unpaid medical leave of up to 27 weeks is also available (see the Canada.ca leaves page) |
Notes on this rule
Applies to federally regulated private-sector workplaces, not the federal public service.
How to use this page
Enter your days of continuous employment with the current employer and, if you like, your pay for one day. The calculator checks the qualifying period and returns the paid and unpaid days the statute gives. Part days, carry-over and employer top-ups are not modelled.
Sources, read directly 19 October 2026: Canada.ca - Types of leaves for federally regulated employees.
Frequently asked questions
How many sick days does a Federal employee get?
Federally regulated employees earn up to 10 days of paid medical leave per year after an initial 30-day qualifying period of continuous employment.
Do I need to have worked a minimum time first?
The qualifying period is: 30 days of continuous employment. The calculator above uses your days of continuous employment against that threshold.
Can my employer ask for a doctor’s note?
The source read for this page does not state a rule about medical notes for this leave. Ask the employment standards office if your employer requires one.
Can an employer or a contract give more than this?
Yes. These are statutory minimums. An employment contract, workplace policy or collective agreement can give more, but not less. Union members should check their collective agreement as well.
Where does this Federal information come from?
Every figure on this page was read on 19 October 2026 from: Canada.ca - Types of leaves for federally regulated employees. The links are listed under the rules table above. If a source changes, this page is regenerated from one data file and the verified date is updated.
Reference only — not legal advice
This page states the statutory sick leave entitlement from the published employment-standards legislation or the government’s own guide, read on 19 October 2026. It is not legal advice, does not model a collective agreement or an individual contract, and rules change. For a binding answer, contact the employment standards office named in the source or a lawyer.