If you have a fit note are you allowed in work??

tea_lover

I did not give advice to ignore anything. I pointed out the legal status of the fit note (ie. it has none).

My professional advice (as an experienced, chartered H&S professional) would be to discuss the information on the fit note with the employer and take it from there. However, letting people continue to peddle the myth that the fit note has to be obeyed and has an impact on insurance is dangerous, and not something I will be party to.

sangie595

tea_lover wrote: »

I did not give advice to ignore anything. I pointed out the legal status of the fit note (ie. it has none).

My professional advice (as an experienced, chartered H&S professional) would be to discuss the information on the fit note with the employer and take it from there. However, letting people continue to peddle the myth that the fit note has to be obeyed and has an impact on insurance is dangerous, and not something I will be party to.

Then perhaps since you are well aware of the potential health and safety implications of someone attending work whilst not fit to do so, that is the advice that you should have included? Simply stating that a fit note is advisory gives the clear impression that an individual may do as they wish.

iammumtoone

Thanks all.

I will be no danger to anyone in the workplace, its a MH issue I would be signed off for not physical condition(s)

The reason my MH is suffering is nothing to do with work, I am afraid that if I get signed off from work having time off when it is not related to work will be frowned upon and I can't lose my job that would make my situation 10 times worse.

Undervalued

iammumtoone wrote: »

Thanks all.

I will be no danger to anyone in the workplace, its a MH issue I would be signed off for not physical condition(s)

The reason my MH is suffering is nothing to do with work, I am afraid that if I get signed off from work having time off when it is not related to work will be frowned upon and I can't lose my job that would make my situation 10 times worse.

Well the doctor won't issue a sick note (actually now called a fit note) unless you ask him to. Surely that is the simple solution?

As other have said it is not in itself illegal to ignore the doctor's advice and go into work (with a few exceptions). However there could be implications in some circumstances and it could well be against your firm's policies and therefore potentially a disciplinary matter.

sangie595

I agree that it would be best to talk to your doctor about this IF they consider you unfit to work, which it seems they haven't yet. It may not be bending caused by circumstances at work, but if the doctor believes that your situation will worsen if you are working, then you must listen to their advice, whether you take it or not. It is better to have a frank discussion with the doctor and explain the risk of losing your employment - ask them what options you might have. Find something workable. But jeopardising your own health for work, if it comes down to that, is something you need to carefully consider.

pmduk

The only time it would make a difference would be if you handled food and the fit note referred to certain gastro-intestinal problems. Health and Safety/food hygiene legislation, not to mention common sense, would indicate that working is not a good idea in these circumstances.

sangie595

pmduk wrote: »

The only time it would make a difference would be if you handled food and the fit note referred to certain gastro-intestinal problems. Health and Safety/food hygiene legislation, not to mention common sense, would indicate that working is not a good idea in these circumstances.

No it isn't. Care staff are often routinely sent home and not allowed to work because care homes / hospitals and so on are breeding grounds if someone comes in sick. Certain conditions mean that you can't drive safely, or use equipment. There are many circumstances in which a judgement that you are unfit to work would make it impossible to attend work. Not to mention that it could be very bad for the individual to ignore medical advice, triggering conditions or widening them. Not in this case, thankfully, it would appear. But there are many reasons someone ought not to ignore medical advice.

Spendless

iammumtoone wrote: »

Thanks all.

I will be no danger to anyone in the workplace, its a MH issue I would be signed off for not physical condition(s)

The reason my MH is suffering is nothing to do with work, I am afraid that if I get signed off from work having time off when it is not related to work will be frowned upon and I can't lose my job that would make my situation 10 times worse.

Have you been to see your GP? I was thinking you meant you already had the note. Go to your doctors talk the problem through, see what they say and tell them you don't wish to take time off work.

System

Just to add a fit note isn't just for when you cannot work at all, it also has the option for putting down adjustments, for example in my case i can't do early shifts or shifts longer than 6 hours. I too mistakenly thought that by law you can;t work if you have one saying you're unfit but that seems not to be the case.