Bilingual Sick Notes in New Brunswick: Getting Documentation in French or English | $49 Same-Day

Last reviewed and updated: August 2026 by a licensed Canadian physician

As Canada's only officially bilingual province, New Brunswick workers have the right to documentation in either official language. Here's how that works for sick notes.

Bilingual Sick Notes in New Brunswick

New Brunswick is Canada only officially bilingual province under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. That bilingual status has practical implications for sick notes and other medical documentation that many workers do not realize.

Your Language Rights for Medical Documentation

Under New Brunswicks Official Languages Act and the federal Official Languages Act, you have a right to access government and many public services in either English or French. On the healthcare side:

  • Healthcare services through the two Regional Health Authorities must be available in both languages

  • Horizon Health Network: primarily English-language services, covers Saint John Regional Hospital, Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton, and other facilities

  • Vitalité Health Network: primarily French-language services, covers Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton, Chaleur Regional Hospital (Bathurst), Edmundston Regional Hospital, and francophone communities


That means medical documentation such as a sick note can legitimately be issued in French or English depending on patient preference and provider language.

Does Your Employer Have to Accept a French Sick Note?

  • Government employers (provincial, municipal): Yes. All Government of New Brunswick departments, agencies, and Crown corporations are expected to accept documentation in either official language.

  • Federally regulated employers: Yes. Under the federal Official Languages Act, federally regulated employers are expected to accept documentation in either language.

  • Private sector employers: More nuanced. Under the New Brunswick Human Rights Act, refusing a valid medical document solely because it is in French or English could amount to language-based discrimination. Employers:

- Cannot refuse a valid medical document solely because it is in French or English
- If they claim they cannot read it, the burden is on them to arrange translation
- Many large local employers such as J.D. Irving or McCain Foods maintain bilingual HR capacity, but smaller firms may not

For legal specifics about leave entitlements and employer obligations, consult the New Brunswick Employment Standards Act. That Act governs job-protected leaves and sets out when employers may request documentation. Typically, employers can require medical documentation for longer or repeated absences consistent with the Act and workplace policy.

Francophone Communities and Local Context

About 30 percent of the province identifies as francophone. Key communities and services:

  • Moncton / Dieppe: genuinely bilingual, home to Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre

  • Bathurst / Caraquet: Acadian north shore communities served by Vitalité facilities like Chaleur Regional Hospital

  • Edmundston: predominantly francophone, Edmundston Regional Hospital

  • Campbellton: bilingual community near the Quebec border

  • Fredericton and Saint John: smaller francophone populations but public services and some clinics offer French options


If you work for a large employer with multiple sites, for example J.D. Irving in Saint John or McCain Foods in Florenceville-Bristol, HR teams are often prepared to receive documentation in either language. Smaller private employers in southern New Brunswick may operate primarily in English.

Getting a Sick Note in French

Options in NB if you prefer documentation in French:

In-person (French-language clinics)

  • Vitalité Health Network clinics in Moncton, Bathurst, Edmundston, Campbellton

  • Wait times typically 2 to 4 hours and walk-in availability varies by site


Online (MedLetter)
  • French-language documentation available on request

  • Same-day delivery where possible

  • $49 flat fee

  • Specify "documentation en français" when completing your request

MedLetter provides bilingual, CPSNB-registered physician documentation that is valid across New Brunswick.

Billet de Médecin: Ce Que Votre Employeur Peut Exiger

Pour les travailleurs francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick:

  • 1 a 5 jours d absence consecutifs: Votre employeur ne peut pas exiger un billet de médecin dans la plupart de situations

  • 6 jours ou plus: Votre employeur peut demander une documentation medicale raisonnable

  • Conges de maladie payes: Les details sur conges payes et non payes sont regis par le New Brunswick Employment Standards Act; consultez l Act pour les criteres et protections precises


Vos droits restent les memes, que votre documentation soit en francais ou en anglais.

Comparison: Walk-in Clinic vs Online Sick Note

| Service | Language options | Typical wait time | Cost | Convenience | Documentation speed |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| Walk-in clinic (Vitalite / Horizon) | French or English depending on site | 2 to 4 hours typical | Varies; often covered by provincial billing for visit but time cost | Requires travel and wait | Same day but unpredictable |
| Online (MedLetter) | French or English on request | No wait in clinic | $49 flat fee | Complete online from home, 7 days a week | Most delivered within 2 to 6 hours same day |

Common Scenarios

  • Francophone worker at an anglophone employer

- Your sick note in French is valid and should be accepted
- If translation is needed, the employer arranges it
  • Anglophone worker needing French documentation

- An English sick note remains equally valid
- If your physician is francophone, ask for documentation in English or French as you prefer
  • Worker at a bilingual employer (provincial, federal)

- Documentation in either language is accepted without question; HR teams usually process both

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a sick note online in New Brunswick?

  • Yes. Licensed physicians provide virtual consultations and issue valid sick notes for New Brunswick residents. MedLetter offers an online pathway with French-language options.


How many sick days do New Brunswick employees get?
  • Entitlements and job-protected leave types are set out in the New Brunswick Employment Standards Act. Some leaves are unpaid and others depend on employer policy or collective agreements. Check the Act or your HR policy for details.


Will my New Brunswick employer accept an online sick note?
  • Yes. Employers are expected to accept valid medical documentation from licensed physicians whether provided in person or online.


How fast can I get a sick note near me in New Brunswick?
  • Online services like MedLetter deliver most sick notes within 2 to 6 hours. In-person wait times vary.


Can I get a sick note on a weekend in New Brunswick?
  • Yes. MedLetter accepts submissions seven days a week. Many walk-in clinics have limited weekend hours.


What if my employer asks for a translation?
  • The employer is responsible for obtaining a translation if they cannot read a valid document. Refusing a note because of its language can raise human rights concerns under the New Brunswick Human Rights Act.


Do federally regulated workplaces have different rules?
  • Federally regulated employers follow the federal Official Languages Act and generally must accept documentation in either official language. This includes banks, telecommunications firms, and interprovincial transport employers.


The Practical Reality

The law is clear, but day to day practice varies. Southern New Brunswick workplaces are often English-dominant. Northern and Acadian regions operate mainly in French. Moncton functions bilingually. If you think your employer might push back, getting your note in the employer's primary language can reduce friction, but it is not a legal requirement.

Key Takeaway

In New Brunswick your sick note is valid in either English or French. Employers are expected to accept it regardless of language. For convenient, same-day bilingual documentation from CPSNB-registered physicians, MedLetter is a practical solution across the province. Whether you live in francophone Edmundston, bilingual Moncton, or anglophone Saint John, MedLetter can deliver a valid sick note in the language you prefer, quickly and affordably. For legal details on leave entitlements and employer obligations, consult the New Brunswick Employment Standards Act and the New Brunswick Human Rights Act.

Ready to get your sick note? New sick-note requests are temporarily paused while we review our service. We are not accepting new orders at this time. — delivered same-day by a licensed Canadian physician.


Need a sick note in New Brunswick? MedLetter provides official physician-signed documentation for $49 with same-day delivery. No walk-in clinic wait — submit in 2 minutes, receive your note by email.

Need a sick note in New Brunswick? MedLetter provides official physician-signed documentation for $49 with same-day delivery. No walk-in clinic wait — submit in 2 minutes, receive your note by email.

Last updated August 2026. Information verified for current provincial regulations.