A New Era of Job Protections for Canadians with Severe Illness
Natalie Lipschultz, a resident of Burnaby, British Columbia, has been a vocal advocate for job protections for individuals facing severe illnesses. Her journey began six and a half years ago when she was fired from her job while battling cancer. Today, she is celebrating the long-overdue changes in workplace policies that aim to prevent others from enduring similar hardships.
Lipschultz was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in late 2019. Despite the challenges, she continued working for her insurance company, managing the demands of her job alongside grueling chemotherapy sessions. However, in January 2020, a severe drug reaction sent her to the emergency room, and just a day later, she was terminated from her position.
Since then, Lipschultz has been actively involved in an advocacy campaign led by the Canadian Cancer Society, pushing for stronger job protections for people who require extended time off due to serious health issues. Her efforts have contributed to significant changes across Canada, particularly in New Brunswick, which recently implemented a law allowing workers to take up to 27 weeks of unpaid sick leave without the fear of losing their jobs.
New Brunswick was the last province to extend these protections, marking a shift that began in 2024 for most parts of the country. This change reflects a growing recognition of the need for support for individuals facing prolonged medical challenges.
For cancer patients, knowing they can retain their jobs while undergoing treatment can significantly reduce emotional and financial stress. Lipschultz emphasized the importance of this support, stating that it could be life-saving for those in need of such stability.
According to a 2024 report by the Canadian Cancer Society, the average Canadian patient faces nearly $33,000 in costs over their lifetime. This underscores the financial burden associated with cancer and highlights the necessity of robust support systems.
Quebec has long offered workers up to 26 weeks of long-term unpaid sick leave, but many other provinces only introduced similar measures in the last two years. Before 2024, some provinces, like New Brunswick, had only a few days of protected sick leave, while others, like Saskatchewan, had a few weeks.
In 2022, the federal government extended unpaid medical leave for federally regulated workers to 27 weeks, up from 17 weeks, and increased employment insurance sickness benefits to 26 weeks from 15 weeks. This decision prompted a series of changes at the provincial level, with Newfoundland and Labrador increasing unpaid, job-protected sick leave in March 2024 from a few days to 27 weeks. Manitoba followed in November of that year by extending long-term leave to 27 weeks of job protection from 17 weeks.
Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island also adopted the same 27 weeks of protected leave in 2025. Both Alberta and Saskatchewan's extensions to 27 weeks became law as of January 1.
Eric Tucker, a retired Osgoode Hall Law School professor, praised these changes as a step forward for Canadian labor rights. He noted that the idea of terminating a worker due to a long-term illness is both unfair and unreasonable.
The federal Employment Insurance (EI) benefit program provides those unable to work for medical reasons up to 55% of their average weekly earnings. Tucker pointed out that provincial labor laws now align with federal EI timelines, ensuring that workers have the right to return to their jobs if they are able to do so after their period of leave.
Andrea Seale, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society, highlighted that the changes were the result of years of advocacy by patients, survivors, caregivers, partners, and supporters across the country. She emphasized that collective voices can lead to meaningful improvements in health outcomes.
Despite these advancements, there is still more work to be done, as the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut have not yet implemented similar extensions for long-term illness leave.
Jennifer Robson, an associate professor of political management at Carleton University, noted that protected leave can also benefit employers. She explained that such arrangements create greater predictability, allowing employers to rely on the return of experienced workers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2026.
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