New rules and other changes that will impact B.C. workers next year
Any B.C. employer that isn’t federally regulated must post salary information on publicly advertised job postings. The Ministry of Finance’s Gender Equity Office (GEO) monitors and acts on non-compliance reports.
Things like bonus pay, overtime, or benefits don’t need to be included but can be voluntary.
The BC government also has some specific rules about what is and isn’t allowed:
- “$20 per hour and up” or “up to $30 per hour” does not meet the requirement
- “$20-$30 per hour” does meet the requirement
Things like help-wanted posters that don’t specify specific roles or jobs aren’t part of this requirement.
B.C. introduced the Pay Transparency Act to address the gender pay gap. The province has historically had one of the highest gaps in the country.
Health Professions and Occupations Act
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The Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) was passed in November 2022 but comes into force on April 1, 2026.
HPOA is the governing legislation for currently regulated health professions in the province, such as nurses and midwives, pharmacists, and oral health professionals.
Several other professionals, including psychotherapy, clinical perfusion, respiratory therapy, radiation therapy and medical laboratory technology, will be regulated by the HPOA starting on Nov. 29, 2027.
“As part of the work to modernize health profession regulation in B.C., the HPOA regulations introduce a limited number of scope of practice (SOP) changes for certain professions,” added the Government of B.C. in the Health Professions and Occupations Act Q&A released this summer.
“These SOP changes will take effect when the HPOA and its regulations come into force on April 1, 2026.”
A new Discipline Tribunal will also be established by the HPOA to conduct hearings and rule on discipline for health professionals who have been investigated by their regulatory college after a complaint was filed.
Minimum wage increase
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The general minimum wage in B.C. is set to increase once again on June 1, 2026.
It follows changes made in Spring 2024 to the Employment Standards Act, which made annual wage increases mandatory.
Next year’s wage increase has not yet been revealed, but the Government of B.C. states online that “each minimum wage goes up by the same percentage as the BC All-Items Consumer Price Index (CPI), rounded to the nearest 5 cents for the general minimum wage and the nearest cent for all other minimum wages.”
The B.C. government also added that the minimum wage will stay the same even if the CPI goes down.
In 2025, the province’s minimum wage rose by $0.45 to $17.85 an hour.
According to Living Wage for Families, Metro Vancouver’s living wage climbed to $27.85 per hour this year as calculated using a 35-hour workweek.
Sick notes no longer required
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The Ministry of Labour recently announced a change to how sick notes work in B.C., effective as of November of this year and beneficial to remember in 2026.
According to the new rules, employers can’t ask for sick notes for an employee’s first two health-related short-term absences “of five consecutive days or fewer in a calendar year.”
The ministry says that the changes are based on input from healthcare providers. Those providers pointed to science that suggests most minor illnesses for adults, like colds or flus, include symptoms that usually resolve within five days.
It also added that the change is to reduce the administrative burden on healthcare, letting professionals focus on dealing with patients rather than what the ministry calls “unnecessary paperwork.”
Proposed changes were announced earlier this year as part of a new bill that was introduced in the B.C. Legislative Assembly.
Medical leave for workers facing serious illness or injury
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The Government of B.C. has announced changes to unpaid leave that took effect this fall.
The changes to the Employment Standard Act have added additional provisions for people who might be dealing with a catastrophic injury or illness. They allow for 27 weeks (approximately six months) of unpaid leave each year.
B.C. Premier David Eby, alongside Jennifer Whiteside from the B.C. Ministry of Labour, spoke about the changes to unpaid leave in November.
“One of the areas where we know we have to do better is supporting people with long-term illnesses, chronic conditions, or conditions that don’t immediately resolve after a short period of time,” Eby said.
Eby pointed to illnesses like cancer and multiple sclerosis as examples.
“If you’re doing chemotherapy, for example, you’re able to take the time you need off work and return to your job,” he said.
The leave must be accessed and taken within 12 months.