Disbelieving a doctors sick note

theoretica

Not_Me_Officer wrote: »

Thank you. I never thought of it like that.
I simply meant that in the past i would still only take time off if i couldn't carry out my duties but at that time i never had a house so if i was off then it was annoying because i wasn't making money, but i didn't have the stresses of bills needing paying.
Now, people like nPower (just an example) don't care if i'm at work or not, they want paying. So the stress is greater.

Now you've pointed it out i can see how it can be taken the wrong way though.

My job is quite physical. If i was in an office i've no doubt i wouldn't have even needed to take a single day off, but as the job is physically demanding, i literally have been unable to carry out what would be my day-to-day duties. I know i don't have to do this job & i chose it and i could go get a less physical job (there's that argument) but fact is, this is the one i'm currently in.

I am sure you can find an employer-proof way of saying you need the money! I suggest avoiding the word 'now' or comparison with before you had the house.

That is a fair point about different work expecting different days off - can you find the benchmark for your industry, or your employer's average?

motorguy

Any scope for challenging management upon return during the return to work?

Perhaps saying you've heard it said by colleagues that management were saying you werent really sick and as such you feel undermined and unsupported?

Also mention it has been the case for other people when they've been off sick?

DKLS

There has been only one time I have disbelieved a sick note and thats when the worker had photoshopped a sick note it was a good note and would have passed without further scrutiny.

However the worker didn't know I had been to the funeral of the very same Dr, 3 weeks earlier.

FBaby

In the end, people will make their own assumptions. I can say that when one of my staff pulls a sticky, there are some that I wouldn't consider questioning whether it is genuine or not, whilst others I will right away be suspicious. That will always be because there will have been things said, or coincidences relating to the sudden injury/sickness (ie. one always said how she loved to go to a particular festival and wouldn't miss it for anything, but then didn't have any time left to take and surprise surprise, she was ill during that period...)

However, there is a difference between having suspicions and making accusations without evidence.

motorguy

FBaby wrote: »

In the end, people will make their own assumptions.

Yes, however it is very poor of management to share their assumption on the subject with other employees. That just causes unrest and resentment