Self certification

Evie0207 · 7 October 2016 at 7:46AM

Hello,

I work 3 days a week part time. Last week I had to have an operation to have all 4 wisdom teeth removed as the were all impacted.

Today I've come into work to be handed a form to fill out for a self certification, I'm wondering if this is allowed? As it was an operation out of my control.

Now it's taken up a sickness period which is my limit now until next July

I give him the hospital letter as proof of my operation

Need some advice because I'm not very happy at all

TELLIT01 · 7 October 2016 at 7:58AM

What is being requested by your employer is perfectly normal. You say the operation was out of your control, but that's also true of most illnesses - they aren't planned. Just fill in the form and hand it in.
You were off sick for 3 working days and that is period your employer should be adding to your record. If you are saying they are adding 7 days sickness you need to take that up with them.

sangie595 · 7 October 2016 at 8:08AM

You could ask fro it to be taken as holiday instead. Many workers have to do this for pre-planned surgery anyway.

Takeaway_Addict · 7 October 2016 at 8:28AM

Evie0207 wrote: »

Hello,

I work 3 days a week part time. Last week I had to have an operation to have all 4 wisdom teeth removed as the were all impacted.

Today I've come into work to be handed a form to fill out for a self certification, I'm wondering if this is allowed? As it was an operation out of my control.

Now it's taken up a sickness period which is my limit now until next July

I give him the hospital letter as proof of my operation

Need some advice because I'm not very happy at all

Having your wisdom teeth pulled out I'm sure isn't a happy experience but what the employer is requesting is completely correct.

Being unfit for work is being unfit for work, regardless of it being planned or not.

agrinnall · 7 October 2016 at 8:42AM

What are you expecting from your employer? Are you hoping they will let you take the days off, pay you, and not record it as sick leave? If so, you would have to have the most lenient of employers, I don't know any who would operate that way. You really only have 3 options: sick leave, annual leave, or unpaid leave (but the latter would be at the employer's discretion).

TBagpuss · 7 October 2016 at 9:04AM

Why are you unhappy?

Most employers have policies which allow you to self-certify sick-leave for a limited period and not to have to produce a formal fit note from a doctor.

The letter from the hosptial probabyl isn't needed, and your employer may well prefer to use their own, standard form to record this kind of thing.

As Sangie says, you could ask to have the time as holiday rather than it being recorded as sick leave but the employer doesn't have to agree.

What were you expecting them to do?

nimbo · 7 October 2016 at 10:19AM

If you knew it was happening had you advised your boss?

I know I've self certified after surgery for a week when I had been given a date. But gave my boss about 8 weeks notice so he could arrange cover. If I had needed longer I would have needed a doctors note - and obviously could have got one if I was still feeling rubbish and unable to work (surgery on eyes) so if still of right there wasn't much I could have in in reduced dries etc.

I didn't have to fill in a form on return but he knew the reason I was not in etc - and had to do a back to work interview. It's normal to my work place.

theoretica · 9 October 2016 at 2:01PM

Evie0207 wrote: »

Now it's taken up a sickness period which is my limit now until next July

Need some advice because I'm not very happy at all

Is this what you are unhappy with? You were off work for medical reasons - that is what sick leave is for. Your employers prefer you to be in working rather than off ill, but realise these things happen occasionally - but keep an eye on how much they happen to you and are prepared to try and work out if you are just unlucky or if there is something that should be changed.

If your sick period limits are like ours it is something along the lines of if an employee exceeds X periods of sickness in any 12 month period there must be a documented meeting. Which will come out with such wonders as 'it won't happen again as I don't have any wisdom teeth left'.

ACG · 9 October 2016 at 2:54PM

What difference does it make if it was self certified or not?

I dont see the issue, my employer a few years ago (a large multi national bank) used to ask for a self cert letter any time sickness was less than a week.

You have not reached a limit, you have just reached the point where future sickness may result in more formal procedures/the next "stage" etc. The idea is that if you were off every few weeks they have a process in place to effectively manage you out of the door. If your off with a flu over winter, its unlikely to be a case of collect your P45 on the way out.

nimbo · 9 October 2016 at 5:56PM

I should have also said my very planned surgery still affected my Bradford factor - i didn't get any warning or anything as it was planned. There was also a note made that the next unplanned sickness if within a certain period would also not require a warning unless it took me beyond a higher than usual trigger point as it is supposed to focus on unplanned sickness. so shouldn't fully take into account the planned time off. But this was very much based on the fact I had warned them as soon as I had a date. If I'd let them Know short notice then it would have been a different story.

Self certification

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