Employer demanding for doctor's note

denla

Asking on behalf of a friend.

She's worked for a private company for less than a year. She's been off ill for four days after her holiday in another country, and her manager think she's making up a reason to extend her stay there. She's been in hospital for nearly a month but that was her own holiday time off, and she's been off only four working days after the holiday. This accusation was made after my friend offered a doctor's note. Manager also asked for medical records, photo of her arm in a cast etc.

On the company's policy book it says you must give a doctor's note if you're off for more than seven days. Seven days also seems to be the standard practise. She asked another manager and got told after 3 days you need to provide a doctor's note. That's not what it says in writing.

She's now very upset her manager doesn't trust her and thinks why make the effort to get a doctor's note, wasting the doctor's time when the manager's not going to trust her even if she provides one.

Manager's threatening a warning if she fails to give him a doctor's note. Can he sack her? I told her to show a backbone and refuse to give in, and contact the big boss if the manager gets fussy.

DCFC79

how long has she been there ?
Whats the policy if your injured when on holiday ? the policy for where i work is i have to notify them i have to let my employer know asap and when i go back to work i provide a medical certificate to cover the period i was ill.injured.

Hmm71

Unfortunately as she's been there for less than a year the company can get rid of her, she has no rights.
She offered to get a fit/sick note, the manager is now asking for the note, what's the problem? Why doesn't she just go and get one?
If the manager asks for more than this she could check with HR or her union as to whether she needs to provide anything else.

Hmm71

DCFC79 wrote: »

how long has she been there ?

Virtually the first sentence says she's been there less than a year.

apples1

If she was truly ill then it should be no problem to provide the note. If her GP charges for it then her employer should pay for this.

theoretica

If she gets a sick note for the whole time she was sick I believe she can retrospectively change her holiday time into sick. See:
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/work_e/work_time_off_work_e/holidays_and_holiday_pay.htm#you_are_sick_while_on_holiday

DCFC79

Hmm71 wrote: »

Virtually the first sentence says she's been there less than a year.

Woah relax, i missed it/made a faux pas,

Buellguy

theoretica wrote: »

If she gets a sick note for the whole time she was sick I believe she can retrospectively change her holiday time into sick. See:
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/work_e/work_time_off_work_e/holidays_and_holiday_pay.htm#you_are_sick_while_on_holiday

Which is something, I'm afraid, I do not agree with

Hmm71

DCFC79 wrote: »

Woah relax, i missed it/made a faux pas,

Sorry, didn't mean it nastily I promise

Poppie68

Her GP can only issue a note after she has been off sick for 7 days, they should do her a private note though, but they will charge for it.

Going4TheDream

denla wrote: »

Asking on behalf of a friend.

She's worked for a private company for less than a year. She's been off ill for four days after her holiday in another country, and her manager think she's making up a reason to extend her stay there. She's been in hospital for nearly a month but that was her own holiday time off, and she's been off only four working days after the holiday. This accusation was made after my friend offered a doctor's note. Manager also asked for medical records, photo of her arm in a cast etc.

On the company's policy book it says you must give a doctor's note if you're off for more than seven days. Seven days also seems to be the standard practise. She asked another manager and got told after 3 days you need to provide a doctor's note. That's not what it says in writing.

She's now very upset her manager doesn't trust her and thinks why make the effort to get a doctor's note, wasting the doctor's time when the manager's not going to trust her even if she provides one.

Manager's threatening a warning if she fails to give him a doctor's note. Can he sack her? I told her to show a backbone and refuse to give in, and contact the big boss if the manager gets fussy.

This manager is out of his depth if he thinks that he can just 'demand medical records'

A company does have the right to request a report from your GP, but this is usually done when someone has an ongoing/long term illness and the company want to gauge perhaps how soon someone will be able to come back to work or in what capacity, usually after seeing the occupational health or company doctor a few times, and it will mean Hr being involved

I would find it very strange for them to take this line if you gave them a fit note in your case, as it will cost them money. Although it may make them think you have something to hide if it came to that you and dont allow them access (as is your right) if they go through the proper channels

In the company I work for the sickness policy is self cert for 7 days unless your sickness falls directly before or after a holiday or a Bank holiday, when a fit note has to be produced even for one day, are you sure there isnt something like that in her policy that you maybe missed?

I think she should provide the note as soon as she can and see what happens