Fit Notes – are GPs playing ball?
Since the introduction of Fit Notes six weeks ago have you still seen the old Med3 sick note coming through to you? As the introduction of the new A4 form with space for suggestions to ease the employee back into work was so contentious with GPs I’m wondering how many will say they have ‘old stock’ to use up! Fortunately I haven’t been off sick yet so I can’t speak from experience but what have you found? Have you briefed line managers on the options that the Fit Note provides and are they aware of the financial impact on employees if SSP is not due because of of the structure of a return to work plan?
The Fit Note should be part of your armoury to get long term absentees back to work to reduce your cost exposure to accrued holiday, it really is time to take a fresh look at absence management as a whole – what help can your systems provide on that front in highlighting patterns?
Has anyone had employees jumping on the bandwagon since the Pereda ruling and claiming to be sick whilst on holiday? I’ve been talking to employers who have now changed their sickness policy only to pay SSP during holidays unless the employee was sick before the holiday began. That can penalise the genuinely sick but is that a price worth paying to deter the abusers?
Kate Upcraft
Payroll writer and lecturer
ISIS Support Services Ltd
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