Security guard leave in Quebec: sick, family, bereavement
Sick leave, family reasons, death, wedding, birth: the paid days under the security guards' Decree and the Act respecting labour standards.
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A parent in hospital, a sick child, a death in the family: life does not stop during your shifts. Sick leave and bereavement leave for a security guard are governed by two texts at once: the Decree respecting security guards and the Act respecting labour standards. In several cases, the Decree is even more generous than the Act. Here is, reason by reason, how many days you are entitled to, which ones are paid and what the employer can ask of you.
The Decree or the Act respecting labour standards: which one applies?
Both. The Act respecting labour standards is public policy: a clause of a decree that offers less than the Act is null (s. 93). Conversely, a decree can grant a condition that is "more advantageous" than the Act (s. 94). In practice, for each leave, you are entitled to the more favourable of the two rules.
Vacation and statutory holidays are explained in our article on the security guards' decree and your rights. Here, we cover social leave (Division 7.00 of the Decree) and the absences provided for by the Act.
How many sick days does a security guard have?
The Decree provides a real sick leave bank, but only for the permanent employee A-01 (the one who has completed the trial period and works an average of 30 hours a week).
- You accumulate 2% of your wages earned from November 1 to October 31, including the statutory holiday indemnity and the P-4 and P-12 premiums.
- The employer informs you of the amount accumulated no later than November 30.
- The following year, each day of absence for sickness or accident is paid out of that amount, from the first day, as long as the equivalent of a full day remains.
- The unused balance is paid to you no later than December 10 of the following year.
If you are not A-01, or if your bank is empty, the rules of the Act respecting labour standards apply: you can be absent for up to 26 weeks over 12 months for sickness, accident, organ donation, domestic violence or sexual violence (s. 79.1), and the first 2 days of absence in the year are paid, after 3 months of uninterrupted service (Decree, s. 7.01, par. 6). Note: these 2 paid days are shared with absences for family reasons, and for the A-01 employee they are taken from the 2% bank.
An injury or illness caused by work (an assault during a shift, for example) falls under the CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board), not sick leave. See your rights if you are assaulted at work.
Can you be absent for a sick child or parent?
Yes. The Decree repeats the rule of the Act: 10 days a year for the care, health or education of your child (or your spouse's child), or because of the state of health of a relative or of a person for whom you act as a caregiver. The leave is taken in days, or in half-days if the employer consents. The first 2 days of the year are paid.
For a serious illness or accident of someone close to you, the Act respecting labour standards allows a longer absence, without pay: up to 16 weeks over 12 months, or 36 weeks in the case of a minor child (s. 79.8).
How many days for a death or a funeral?
For a death, the Decree grants more paid days than the Act, except for a son-in-law or daughter-in-law (1 day without pay in both texts). The paid days must be days you usually work, and they are not paid if they fall during your vacation or another leave under the Decree.
| Person who died | Decree (s. 7.01) | Act (ss. 80 and 80.1) |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse, child, spouse's child, father, mother | 5 paid days, plus 1 day without pay, plus 1 day without pay for the formalities | 2 paid days and 3 without pay |
| Brother, sister, spouse's father or mother, grandchild | 3 paid days, plus 1 day without pay, plus 1 day without pay on request for the formalities | Brother, sister: 2 paid days and 3 without pay. Parents-in-law, grandchild: 1 day without pay |
| Grandparent, spouse's brother or sister | 2 paid days | Grandparent: 1 day without pay |
| Son-in-law, daughter-in-law | 1 day without pay | 1 day without pay |
Notify your employer as soon as possible (Act, s. 80.2).
What leave is there for a wedding or a birth?
- Your wedding or civil union: 2 paid days under the Decree (the day itself and the day before or the day after), compared with only 1 under the Act. For the wedding of a child, a parent, a brother or a sister: the day itself, without pay. Notice of at least 1 week.
- Birth or adoption: 5 days, the first 2 of which are paid, and which can be split up. The Decree gives you 30 days after the child arrives to take them, while the Act gives only 15. The same leave applies to a termination of pregnancy from the 20th week.
What about maternity, paternity or parental leave?
The Decree refers to the Act respecting labour standards for maternity leave (s. 7.09). The Act protects your job, for example with a paternity leave of no more than 5 continuous weeks, without pay (s. 81.2), with written notice of at least 3 weeks. Your income during these leaves comes from the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP): see rqap.gouv.qc.ca for benefits and the application.
What notice and what supporting documents can the employer require?
- Sickness (A-01): the employer can require proof or a medical certificate before paying, but you can take 2 sick days a year of your choice without a certificate (Decree, s. 7.03).
- Sick leave under the Act: give notice as soon as possible. A document can be requested if the length or the repetition of the absences warrants it, but not for the first three absences of three consecutive days or less over a 12-month period (s. 79.2).
- Family reasons: a document can be required depending on the circumstances, but the Act prohibits requiring a medical certificate (s. 79.7). You must also limit the length of the leave by reasonable means.
- The day after New Year's Day or Christmas: if you were on the schedule and absent because of sickness, a medical certificate is required (Decree, s. 6.05).
Summary table
| Reason | Length | Paid days |
|---|---|---|
| Sickness, accident (A-01) | According to the bank | 2% of the previous year's wages |
| Sickness, accident, domestic violence (Act) | Up to 26 weeks | 2 days a year (shared with family reasons) |
| Family obligations | 10 days a year | First 2 |
| Death: spouse, child, parent | 5 days + 2 without pay | 5 |
| Death: brother, sister, parents-in-law, grandchild | 3 days + 2 without pay | 3 |
| Death: grandparent | 2 days | 2 |
| Your wedding | 2 days | 2 |
| Birth, adoption | 5 days | First 2 |
Your pay stub must show the running total of your sick leave percentage (Decree, s. 4.06). If it is missing, or if a paid leave is not paid, talk to the Comité paritaire des agents de sécurité (the parity committee that enforces the Decree). To find out what your absences change on your cheque, see also a security guard's net pay in 2026 and the Decree's premiums.
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Frequently asked questions
Is my sick leave paid if I work part time?
The 2% bank is reserved for the permanent employee A-01. If you are part time (A-02) or on trial, you are still entitled to the first 2 paid days of absence a year provided for by the Act, after 3 months of uninterrupted service.
How many days for the death of my mother?
The Decree grants you 5 paid days, including the day of the funeral, plus 1 day without pay and 1 more day without pay for the formalities related to the death.
Can my employer require a doctor's note for a sick child?
The employer can ask for a document that attests to the reason if the circumstances warrant it, but the Act respecting labour standards prohibits requiring a medical certificate for this leave (s. 79.7).
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Sources
- Decree respecting security guards, CQLR c. D-2, r. 1 (ss. 4.06, 6.05, 7.01 to 7.04, 7.09), LégisQuébec, consulted on October 2, 2026.
- Loi sur les normes du travail, RLRQ c. N-1.1 (ss. 79.1, 79.2, 79.7, 79.8, 80 to 81.2.1, 93 and 94), LégisQuébec, consulted on October 2, 2026.
- Régime québécois d'assurance parentale.