sickness

toasterman

Hi guys,
Need some advice on this one. I'm rarely ill, but I had (what I think is) a cold all last week, so was off work for 5 working days.
Last night I felt better, but I went out last night to see a relative, and when I got home I couldn't stop coughing.. kept me awake half the night.

As my job involves meeting clients face to face in office environments, I decided this wouldn't give off the right impression, so this morning I phoned in sick again.
I hate to waste the doctor's time with a cold, but as it's been a week, I phoned the surgery for an appointment this morning - they said it couldn't be until tomorrow, so I took an appointment first thing tomorrow morning.

I've been coughing a lot again this morning - and still trying to clear my throat. My ears are also weird - I get a pain in my right ear when I blow my nose. I'm a bit short of breath too considering I'm not doing anything.

My work have now said they need a doctor's note for last week, but two friends I've asked say you can self-certify the first 5 days. I hope so, because I don't see how a doctor can verify I was ill before he saw me?

I'm slightly worried now in case I'm better by tomorrow. If the doctor won't say I'm ill, and work think I've been faking - what happens then? I can't prove I've been ill really, unless they're willing to accept references from my housemates. Do I even need to prove illness?
Also, I've never had a doctor's note during my adult life - do you have to pay for them?

If I was going to pull a day off sick, I would only ever do 1..maybe 2 days tops...no way would I ever take this long off for no good reason. It's not in my nature.
Having worked before while ill though, you get no thanks for it at all, spread your germs around everyone else, and there's no benefit to me doing so really, so I decided to do the right thing and keep away from others.

Does anyone have any advice for me?
Thanks

jobbingmusician

Doctors don't have any problems backdating sick notes. However, they have been known to refuse to certify the first week, as most employers are happy with self-certification. I think it is very unlikely your employer would push for certification of week 1, in any case, if your Dr writes you a note tomorrow which will cover you for today.

Drs don't charge for sick notes.

HTH!

Jarvisma

You can self-certificate for the first 7 calender days (5 working days) so that would certainly be sufficient for you being off last week.

From the dates you have probably seen the doctor by now, but I would have advised that you explained the situation, including that you had tried to get an apt yesterday but couldn't, and ask that due to the circumstances he backdate the sicknote at least a day. This would cover the period in between and would be resonable on the assesment of you symptoms, as he would be able to see if an illness was in it's first stages or it was feasible that you have had it for a couple of days already.