Sick Note Update
Temporary changes in effect from 17th December 2021 – 27th January 2022.
Employees can take time off work if they’re ill. They need to give their employer proof if they’re ill for more than 28 days.
If employees are off work for 28 days or less, they do not need to give their employer a fit note or other proof of sickness from a medical professional.
Employees must give their employer a doctor’s ‘fit note’ (sometimes called a ‘sick note’) if they’ve been ill for more than 28 days in a row and have taken sick leave. This includes non-working days, such as weekends and bank holidays.
If employees are self-isolating and cannot work because of coronavirus (COVID-19) they can get an ‘isolation note’ online from NHS 111. They do not have to go to their GP or a hospital.
When they return to work, their employer can ask them to confirm they’ve been off sick. This is called ‘self-certification’. The employer and employee will agree on how the employee should do this. They might need to fill in a form or send details of their sick leave by email.
Fit notes do not have to be provided for government benefit claims until 27 January. This will not affect claims to benefit.
If their employer agrees, a similar document can be provided by a physiotherapist, podiatrist or occupational therapist instead. This is called an Allied Health Professional (AHP) Health and Work Report.