Health, Safety & Sick Leave Resources
The BC Public Service is committed to a culture that supports employee safety and health and provides a wide range of safety, health and well-being supports for our employees designed to prevent or reduce the impact of illness or injury.
Whether you're managing your own health, or looking for information to support your team, we have the resources and supports you're looking for.
For all employees
- Sick Leave
- Workplace Safety
- Ergonomics
- Health & Well-being Services
- Learning Opportunities
- Time & Leave
- Forms
For managers & supervisors
- Managing Sick Leave
- Managing Occupational Health & Safety
- Programs & Services
- Learning Opportunities
- Time & Leave
- Forms
- Related Resources
For All Employees
Sick leave for B.C. Government employees
If you're having health issues and need time off from work, paid leave is available. Those eligible for sick leave will receive a percentage of their salary with uninterrupted benefits.
Learn more about sick leave:
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Early Intervention & Return to Work Program
- Short Term Illness & Injury Plan
- Long Term Disability Plan
- WorkSafeBC Claims for Employees
- Doctor’s Certificate
Workplace safety
Learn about safety in the workplace:
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Urgent Support & Reporting
- Critical Incident Response
- Addressing Domestic Violence in the BC Public Services
- Refusing Unsafe Work
- Safety Planning
- Ergonomics
- Safety Training
- WorkSafeBC
Ergonomics
When you work comfortably, with a knowledge of ergonomic risk factors and neutral working postures, you're more productive, attend work more regularly and are less likely to be injured on the job.
If you think you need an ergonomic assessment, the first step is to complete the Computer Workstation Self Setup E-Tool
. If you can't achieve a good setup using the tool, contact your supervisor. Your supervisor will arrange a personalised ergonomic evaluation of your workstation or work activity.
Health & well-being services for all employees
Employee & Family Assistance Services (Morneau Shepell)
Employee & Family Assistance Services includes a range of services provided by the Public Service Agency through a contract with Morneau Shepell. The services provided are confidential, free of charge and available to all BC Public Service employees and the family members who reside with them.
Call toll-free 24 hours per day, seven days a week: 1 800 655-5004.
Services include:
- Short-term Counselling – relationship challenges, family and parenting issues, depression and anxiety, stress management, work-related issues (such as conflict and work-life balance), grief and bereavement, and addiction and trauma
- Career Support Services – identify goals, assess skills, enhance work satisfaction and manage career transitions, including retirement—by telephone
- Family Support Services – broad range of family-related issues including child care and parenting, intimate relationships and elder care—by telephone, online program or resource package
- Financial & Legal Services – advice, skill-building and resources related to financial and legal concerns—online and by telephone
- Healthy Living Services – advice and resources designed to promote health, and address a range of health concerns—including:
- Nutrition Support – issues such as weight changes, reducing high blood pressure and healthy eating on the go—Registered Dietitian by telephone
- Naturopathic Advice Services – issues such as healthy sleep, aging well and stress management—naturopathic professional by telephone
- Health Coaching – issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and migraines—Registered Nurse by telephone
- Online Stress Management Program – learn to successfully manage stress through this self-directed online learning program
Other resources
Mental Health on MyHR
Learn about mental health, including information on self-awareness, ways to promote positive mental health and the importance of resilience.
LifeSpeak
LifeSpeak is an online video library that includes over 500 short, informative videos and podcasts delivered by experts on a range of topics, including:
- physical and mental health
- family relationships
- finances
- professional development
Cold & Flu
The Cold & Flu program offers a convenient way for employees, and contractors who work with BC Public Service employees, to get vaccinated for the flu through workplace flu clinics during the work day.
Quittin’ Time smoking cessation services
Eligible BC Public Service employees, and family members, get support to quit smoking that includes live chat, phone, or text support and smoking cessation product reimbursement through our extended health plan. This product reimbursement is in addition to the free 12-week supply that is available to all BC residents.
Substance use disorder treatment funding
Financial assistance is available to employees who have been clinically recommended to attend an abstinence-based, residential treatment program for drug or alcohol use disorder(s). Treatment funding can include a grant as well as an interest-free loan, to a maximum of $8,000.
Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace)
Workplace Strategies for Mental Health provides resources for employees and supervisors to improve psychological health and safety in the workplace.
Learning opportunities for all employees
Health & Well-being: Allies for a Safe and Healthy Workplace
The Health & Well-being: Allies for a Safe and Healthy Workplace e-Learning course introduces participants to the importance of building a proactive culture of health and safety. It highlights available resources, programs and services that support a safe and healthy workplace. To register, visit the Learning System and browse under the "Health & Well-being" category.
Health & Well-being workshops
Health & Well-Being workshops offer information on a variety of healthy living-focused topics such as:
- mental health
- mindful communication and listening
- resilience and stress management
- preparing for retirement
- getting along with change
The workshops are delivered in person in locations across the Province, and via Lync or Skype.
To register, visit the Learning System and browse under the "Health & Well-being" category.
Time & Leave for all employees
The Time & Leave Management System is used by BC Public Service employees to enter and view time exceptions (overtime), vacation and sick leave, and by supervisors to monitor and approve requests.
For more information or support, speak to your supervisor, access Time and Leave Support (located within Time & Leave), sign up for an e-Learning course or submit an AskMyHR service request.
Time & Leave training
Get an introduction to Time and Leave, including how to request leave and record sick leave. To register for this e-Learning course, visit the Learning System and search for "Time and Leave: All Employees".
Forms for all employees
For Managers & Supervisors
Managing sick leave
Whether your employee is on short-term sick leave, long-term disability or a WorkSafeBC claim, managers and supervisors have certain responsibilities for managing sick leave.
Learn about the role of the manager or supervisor when an employee is sick or injured:
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Early Intervention & Return to Work Program for Supervisors
- Early Intervention & Return to Work e-Learning Series
- Short Term Sick Leave Overview for Supervisors
- Long Term Disability Plan Overview for Supervisors
- WorkSafeBC Claims for Supervisors
- Report of Injury or Occupational Disease (Form 7)
- Sick Leave Sample Letters
- Medical Assessments for Safety Sensitive Work
- Managing Mental Health Issues at Work.
Managing occupational health & safety
Learn how to build and maintain a safe and healthy workplace where employees feel respected, supported and engaged. Get information on occupational health and safety topics such as accident prevention and investigation, emergency response and planning, ergonomics for managers and supervisors, first aid for supervisors, violence in the workplace, and more.
Programs & services for managers & supervisors
Early Intervention & Return to Work program
Designed for managers and supervisors, the Early Intervention & Return to Work Program provides expert, collaborative assistance in managing an employee’s health-related absence.
Managing employee health issues at work
The Occupational Health Program helps managers and supervisors concerned about an employee health condition that is, or may be, impacting work. It offers consultation with an occupational health nurse, and recommendations.
Critical Incident Response services
Critical Incident Response Services provides specialized professional response to a workplace crisis, a traumatic event, or employee victimization. Typically this service is used to support a team at a workplace location within several days of the critical incident occurring.
This service is provided by the Public Service Agency through a contract with Morneau Shepell. There is a charge to the requestor for this service ($175/hour, minimum charge $525).
Call 1 800 655-5004 (select Option 3) to access this service.
Conflict management services
The Conflict Management Office (CMO) helps you effectively resolve interpersonal and team related workplace conflict.
People Leader Advice Line
The People Leader Advice Line provides free, just-in-time advisory services to managers and people leaders regarding difficult workplace situations or conversations. This service is provided by the Public Service Agency through a contract with Morneau Shepell.
Call 1 800 655-5004 (select Option 2) to access this confidential service.
Coaching services
Coaching Services delivers high impact services that help leaders at all levels achieve individual, team and organizational results. Available services include leadership coaching, team coaching, conflict coaching and group coaching.
Ergonomics for managers & supervisors
When employees work comfortably, with a knowledge of ergonomic risk factors and neutral working postures, they are more productive, attend work more regularly and are less likely to be injured on the job.
Every workplace should have an in-house ergonomic assessor to help with workstation setups and evaluations. Contact your in-house assessor to help you evaluate and set up workstations for your employees. You can also contact your Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee for help.
Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace)
Workplace Strategies for Mental Health provides resources for employees and supervisors to improve psychological health and safety in the workplace.
Learning opportunities for managers & supervisors
Early Intervention & Return to Work: Supporting Employees in the Workplace
This course builds on the Early Intervention & Return to Work e-Learning modules. Supervisors learn about their role and responsibilities and available resources. They practice decision-making when dealing with employees struggling with health issues. The scenario-based course is available by registration through the Learning System.
Early Intervention & Return to Work e-Learning Series
The Early Intervention & Return to Work e-Learning modules are designed for managers and supervisors, but available to all employees with an interest in disability and return to work responsibilities and processes. They provide just-in-time information that help managers deal effectively with health-related absence and issues.
Time & leave for managers & supervisors
The Time & Leave Management System is used by BC Public Service employees to enter and view time exceptions (overtime), vacation and sick leave, and by supervisors to monitor and approve requests.
For more information or support:
- speak to your supervisor
- access Time and Leave Support (located within Time & Leave)
- sign up for an e-Learning course
- or, submit an AskMyHR service request.
Time & Leave training
Get an introduction to Time and Leave, including how to request leave, record sick leave, approve leave and approve sick leave. To register for these e-Learning courses, visit the Learning System, search for "Time and Leave", and then select the courses most relevant to your role: expense authority, leave approver, scheduler, etc.
Forms for managers & supervisors
- Early Return to Work Automated Form
- If you have an employee who's on leave and returning to work before originally anticipated, please submit this form. Note: to use this form you must have the authority to make changes to the employee's record.
- For more information about the Early Return to Work Form, see Managing Leaves & Absences.
- Leave & Time Off forms
- Pay & Benefits forms
- Sick Leave Sample Letters
