Nova Scotians who are unable to work due to illness no longer need to provide a sick note in most circumstances.

A news release from the Nova Scotia government said employers in the province are only permitted to request a sick note if an employee has been absent for more than five working days, or has already had two absences of five days or less within the last 12 months.

If a sick note is required, it will now be able to come from any regulated health-care provider, including nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and social workers, further easing the burden on physicians, the release said.

The new rules came into effect on July 1 and come after years of testimony from health-care professionals, who say requiring sick notes for routine illnesses clogs the system and can prevent those who truly need care from receiving it in a timely manner.

When the Patient Access to Care Act was first introduced in March, Michelle Thompson, Nova Scotia's minister of health and wellness, said filling out sick notes "has been a waste of valuable time for our physicians."

A spokesperson for the province said doctors in Nova Scotia spend an estimated 50,000 hours a year writing sick notes.

Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration Jill Balser said the move will also ease the burden for sick Nova Scotians, who will no longer have to worry about obtaining a sick note as they recover.

Given royal assent in April, the legislation also includes new rules to decrease barriers for licensed health-care providers from other jurisdictions to work in the province.