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HELP! Do I need a doctors note?

Started by Chambers21, 16-10-19, 10:38AM

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Chambers21

I'll try and make this as brief as possible. I only work 3 days a a week, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. I've been off sick since last Thursday with the worst flu I think i've ever had (so 3 work days so far) I am definitely starting to feel better, but not 100% sure if i'll be able to make it in tomorrow, i start at 5 AM and haven't been being able to get to sleep until about 3.00 - 4.00 AM, due to constantly coughing and sweating. Because it will have been 4 days, do I now need a doctors note? Seems a bit stupid booking an emergency appointment, when the NHS is low on staff as it is, even though I know I am definitely recovering, just maybe not enough to make it in tomorrow? Debatable whether a doctor will give me a note anyway if I seem almost better?

Sorry, didn't manage to keep it very short  :-X

Long gone

Not sure if you need a note although I had about a total of 5 days off in a 13 year period and I always tried to go in unless it was impossible such as a 24 hour vomiting bug. If you could try and go in and at least show you are trying then tell duty you need to go back home if you can't work or you feel too unwell when you get there that might be a better option? Hope you feel better soon

Welshie

To my knowledge once you've had a working week off then yes you need a signed doctors note . You could phone to say you're coming back but only fit to do half a shift ??

randomworker

If you're off for more than seven calendar days (including any days you don't normally work) then you'll need to have a fit note to cover you from the eighth day of absence until you come back to work. The certificate needs to either be a fit note from a doctor or a medical certificate from the hospital, and you need to send it to your manager as soon as you receive it.

SameOld

Generally (and I don't know where in the country you are) if you're that unwell a call to the GP to explain and that you don't want to necessarily waste their time in obtaining an appointment and infecting everyone in the waiting room) they'll usually do you a note for collection.  That said, I tend to agree - unless you're being sick I'd probably try to push forward.

optout

I suggest that those who have responded to this thread, and the OP look at this first.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5341628/sick-note-days-off-work-before-doctor-note/
I AM NOT A REP, BUT......

NightAndDay

#6
Optout, this isn't enforceable, what the NHS recommends doesn't mean it has to be applied, unfortunately in retail you're just there to make the company money, their policies in place will be either the minimum they can get away with or more draconian if possible. As far as I'm aware you'll need a fit note past 3 days absence (as you don't get paid sick pay for the first 3 working days) in order to get sick pay, Tesco corporate don't believe shopfloor colleagues have the intellect to self certify which is why they won't accept it.

randomworker

Wrong.

Do you still have access to ourTesco website since you left Tesco?

This is the Tesco policy

If you're off for more than seven calendar days (including any days you don't normally work) then you'll need to have a fit note to cover you from the eighth day of absence until you come back to work. The certificate needs to either be a fit note from a doctor or a medical certificate from the hospital, and you need to send it to your manager as soon as you receive it.

If the option "may be fit for work" is ticked on the fit note, your doctor will provide us with a recommendation of what adjustment(s) we can make to help you return to work, these can be things like working different hours on a temporary basis, amending your duties or making adjustments to the workplace.

If your doctor gives you a fit note which recommends that you may be fit for work with adjustments you should contact your manager to discuss the options which have been given. Your manager will review and consider any recommendations. If they're straightforward and we can make them, they will discuss these with you and create a return to work plan . If they're not straight forward or your manager thinks that it may not be possible to implement them, they may need to discuss these further with their Manager and then come back to you. If we're not able to accommodate them, you'll be notified by your manager who will explain the reasons why.

NightAndDay

#8
But it doesn't say anything about self certifying, as far as I'm aware, you need a fit note from the GP or hospital to get sick pay past 3 days absence, they don't accept self certification as far as I know.

I wasn't saying Tesco wouldn't abide by the 7 day rule, my allusion was to them not accepting self certification (specifically with regards to sick pay).

randomworker

[gmod]Please do not quote immediately prior post(s).[/gmod]

They do not require a fit note to get sick pay after the 3 day mark.


Welshie

Tesco allow you 7days without a signed sick note which is the equivalent of self certification,  that is why after the 7days it must be a signed doctors/hospital certificate. 

Redshoes

We get self certificates handed in, seen them. Three days is unpaid but seven for fit note.

barafear

sorry for dragging up an old topic - but not sure if Tesco policy was properly explained.

So, I phoned up sick last Fri - my shifts were Sat and Sun - on my phone call I said I would be unable to come to work "this weekend" - I stated I had done an "e-consultation with my GP" and was awaiting the results of that which were due by end of play Monday.

Therefore in my mind, I am "self certifying" for a period of up to 7 days.

I have since got a fit note (or not fit to work note) - I've just had a phone call from the duty manager (my manager is on holiday) to check up on my wellbeing - I stated I had a note to drop off - she asked "is that to cover last weekend?" - I said no - it starts from Monday and will cover me for ten days - last weekend would be "self certified" - I asked "do I also need to fill in a self certification form at Tesco" - she said "no you need to get one from your doctor" - surely my phone call to call in sick - and then my subsequent back to work interview is my "self certification?" or am I missing something?


NightAndDay

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-sick-pay-employees-statement-of-sickness-sc2

This link leads you to the HMRC template for a self certification form, it tends to be anything less than 7 days of sickness can be self certified, though you can only claim SSP from being sick for 4 or more days.

sunshineman

Hi, this is kind of related, sorry to jump in. A friend at my store is currently off work and the doctors don't think he will be able to return to work. he is 62 years of age. He has been told that he maybe pensioned off but does not understand what this means. He has taken a lump sum of his private pension already, which will leave him according to his paperwork £90 per month when he retires.

So, if Tesco do pension him off, what does this mean, and how will he survive financially, and can he appeal

lucgeo

#15
If he is to be pensioned off as unfit to work...he can contact the D.S.S. for advice and guidance, or check out their website. Depending on what kind of employment he is deemed capable of, if any, will affect his claim, any savings, or other people contributing to the household etc...
Who has told him he may be pensioned off?? His doctors or Tesco? If the former, then the medical practice should be able to provide the relevant leaflets and contact numbers for advice. If the latter, then there are a number of procedures/policies to follow before Tesco can dismiss him on health grounds.
Either way, he won't be expected to survive on £90 per month, but again, it depends on his personal financial circumstances, less than £16k in savings etc..
Live for today. Learn from yesterday.

Nomad

#16
If he is unable to continue in his current role the company may retire them (after all formalities) on a partial company pension.  To get a full company pension ( e.g. the pension you would get if you had stayed until retirement age) he would need to establish that medical opinion is that he is unable to do any form of employment (tough call).
Nomad ( Forum Admin )
It's better to be up in arms than down on your knees.

Welshie

If unable to work any job he could be entitled to ESA  as still of working age or if disabled could be entitled to pips but I believe that is quite difficult to get . I'll be quite interested to hear how he gets on .


sunshineman

Quote from: lucgeo on 27-09-20, 01:46PM
If he is to be pensioned off as unfit to work...he can contact the D.S.S. for advice and guidance, or check out their website. Depending on what kind of employment he is deemed capable of, if any, will affect his claim, any savings, or other people contributing to the household etc...
Who has told him he may be pensioned off?? His doctors or Tesco? If the former, then the medical practice should be able to provide the relevant leaflets and contact numbers for advice. If the latter, then there are a number of procedures/policies to follow before Tesco can dismiss him on health grounds.
Either way, he won't be expected to survive on £90 per month, but again, it depends on his personal financial circumstances, less than £16k in savings etc..

Hi, it is Tesco who have said they are considering pensioning him off due to the length of time on sick leave, and due to doctors saying at the moment he is not fit to carry on working. The doctors have said he will get better but from what he has said Tesco are not prepared to wait.

londoner83

The issue is when your foreseeable return to normal duties will be. Under Tesco policy every person has a support period during which the company will support you to get better. However if there is no likelihood of you being able to return to your role at any point in that support period Tesco are allowed to begin the process of  ending  your role by reason of ill health.

Welshie

It may depend on his illness , some illnesses are covered under the disability discrimination laws . Other options would be , assuming if hes off so long that hes run out of both company sick pay and statutory sick pay , to ask to take a lifestyle  break , his job would be protected, no stupid meetings and the company can get a temporary replacement for him .

lucgeo

If the doctors are stating that he will recover, I assume to full capacity, then it's a case of the recovery time for him to resume his employment that Tesco are deeming unacceptable?
I would advise him to take a union rep/colleague to all future meetings, to witness and take notes. I'm not too savvy on the dismissal from ill health route, however I believe that Occupational Health will be brought in at some point...also as Welshie has said, there are disability discrimination rules, that need to be considered.
Is there another role he is able to perform instore on a temporary/ permanent basis. Tesco are under no obligation to find him a suitable alternative, but if there is a glaringly obvious role he can fulfill, enabling him to continue his employment, then it should be seriously considered.
Was he suffering with this ailment when he joined Tesco and If so, did he declare it at the time if joining?
Live for today. Learn from yesterday.

Welshie

Can add , have they actually said that they want to retire him on I'll health grounds OR are they just reading out the notes on the long term absence policy . They have to read these out at every meeting to let you know that it is a possibility further down the line but that does not mean that it is on the cards right now . As Lucego says it's a whole process that would involve Occupational health. 
If it's just the long term absence policy they're reading then it's not really a worry atm .

sunshineman

Thanks for the advice. I do have another question. My cousin works for Tesco down south, five of the family work for Tesco. Due to his health conditions he was told to go on furlough by Tesco and received a Government letter not to go to work. At first he ignored the letter until Tesco told him he was not allowed in work and must go on furlough. He has not left the house during that time and was on medication due to stress because of the COVID19. When furlough ended his doctor said he was not ready to go back to work and said he was suffering from mixed anxiety and depression. They have given him a counsellor and he is still on the sick as the doctor will not sign him off as fit to go to work. He received a phone call on Friday to say they are now starting the long term sick process and an official meeting will take place over the phone. He has worked for Tesco for ten years and has never had a day off sick. He does not understand what the process is and has tried to get through to the union and cannot get through but will keep trying. He does not understand what this process is and what he will be entitled to financially. At the moment he is on full pay. The doctor is saying it could be another two months before he is capable to go back to work. Does anyone know what this process is. He is worried that he will lose his job

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