![]() ![]() What to do when you’re given an employee’s sick note If agreement cannot be reached, or the employer is unable to make any suitable adjustments, the employee must be treated as unfit for work. This could be in line with any suggestions made by the employee’s doctor in the sick note, although the employer may want to ask the employee to undergo a further assessment with an occupational health specialist. In cases where an employee is assessed as potentially fit for work, agreement must be reached between the employer and employee as to what adjustments can be made to facilitate their return. The employee does not need to be positively reassessed as fit for work but, equally, they must not be pressured into coming back to work prior to expiry of their sick note. This means that if the employee is assessed as unfit for work, they should refrain from work for the stated period of time. If considered fit for work, they will not be given a note. A person can only be given a sick note if their doctor considers their fitness for work is significantly impaired. When provided with a sick note, this should usually be accepted by the employer at face value. ![]() It may also set out ways in which an employee can be supported in their return to work, subject to appropriate adjustments being made by their employer, for example, amended duties, altered hours or workplace adaptations. The employee’s sick note will set out the date on which they were clinically assessed, the nature of their condition, when they’re likely to recover or whether they will need to be reassessed to determine their fitness for work. This document can then be used by the employee to claim sick pay if unfit for work and, in cases where the employee is potentially fit for work, ways in which the employer can support their return. ![]() A similar document can be provided by a physiotherapist, podiatrist or occupational therapist instead, provided the employer agrees. Now known as a ‘fit note’ or a ‘statement of fitness for work’, the sick note is the document issued by the employee’s GP or hospital doctor to certify the patient’s inability to work by reason of either illness or injury. If the employee has been off work sick for more than 7 days in a row, and has taken sick leave, they must provide a sick note. This means they must provide a written explanation of their absence, typically by email or by completing a self-certification form. If absent from work for 7 calendar days or less, the employee does not have to provide a sick note, but they can be asked to self-certify on their return to work. If an employee is genuinely unwell or injured, they will be entitled to take time off work, although they may need to provide a sick note, depending on the length of their absence. In this guide for employers, we discuss the rules on fit notes at work including how to spot a fake sick note and what to do if you’re not sure that a sick not is genuine. It’s useful for managers and HR teams to be able to recognise when a fit note is genuine and to be able to spot a fake sick note. ![]() If you’ve been given a fit note by an employee and you’re not sure if it is genuine, would you know what to do?Įmployers should be prepared and trained to know how to deal with employees suspected of pulling sickies or exaggerating illness symptoms. ![]()
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