Fitness to work/self-certification

[andy118run]

Can anyone here advise?

I have been off work 5 days with a viral infection. I saw my GP today who provided me with a Not fit to work/sicknote dated from today until 09/05 with the intention of me resuming work on 10/05.

I called my manager to inform him of this and he says that the note is no good and needs to be dated from the first day of my sickness. My GP disagrees and says that I can send a self-certification with his sick note to cover the previous 5 days.

Does anyone know what the law actually is? If I send the self-cert with the sicknote am I on safe ground or can my employer insist on seeing a sick note for the whole period? My understanding is that the GP has no obligation to provide a note for the first 7 days.

[E21_Ross]

your employer is wrong

eta: "Sick Notes. The law says you may self-certify your illness for seven days before any need for an official Department of Health sick note" from the NHS

HTH

Edited by E21_Ross on Tuesday 4th May 17:04

[Matt Evans]

As far as I know you can self certify up to 7 days (including weekends). After that time you need a doctors note for further sickness absence.

You say you've been off work 5 days, which I assume to mean that your last day of work was Monday 26th April (taking into account the bank holiday)? In which case, a doctors note is only required to start from today.

[Densai tikiwa]

As said above,, self-cert for up to seven days before any note need come into effect.
you gaffer obviously doesn't realise he's talking out of his 'arris.

[Nubbin]

Another point worth making is that the concept of a "finishing note" or a back-to-work certificate is a myth. There is no obligation on an employee to provide a note to state when he is returning to work - you just go back and start working.

The first 3 days of any illness are never certificated (except through private note) - after that, including the first 3, and up to 7 days, you need to fill in an SC2, or SC1 if self-employed. Only after that do you need to see a doctor for a MED3, or rather the new "fitness to work" certificate. the new notes give more flexibility in that they allow a doctor to specify if the employee might be able to work if certain conditions are fulfilled - workplace adaptations, phased return, amended duties and I can't remember the other one (ETA - it's altered hours)

The new notes can also specify how long an illness might last, when there is an expectation of a return to work etc. The notes allow for a more meaningful discussion between doctor and patient, and also employee and employer, to arrive at mutually acceptable sickness management.

Edited by Nubbin on Wednesday 5th May 09:09

[Fort Jefferson]

andy118run said:

I called my manager to inform him of this and he says that the note is no good and needs to be dated from the first day of my sickness.

How do people this thick, get jobs as managers? Not knowing this sort of basic stuff?