Employment law update June 2009:

New fit note unveiled – Government gets rid of sick note culture

Absence in the UK has a considerable impact on business – 8 days lost per employee per year equates to 3.5% of working time (CIPD 2008) – and managing absence in the workplace can also be a challenge. It is critical to the success of a business that staff are in work as much as possible and return to work as soon as possible after an absence.

The Government has recently unveiled a new medical ‘fit note’ to replace the current ‘sick note’. The intention is that it will help more people stay in work rather than drift into long term sickness.

Rather than people being viewed as simply ‘unfit for work‘, regardless of their condition, the new ‘fit note’ will enable people to get the best possible advice about staying in work where possible. It will also provide employers with more information about what they can do to keep people in work as well as get people back to work by making various adjustments dependent upon the individual’s condition. For example, if an employee has a problem with mobility, the ‘fit note‘ might suggest a job where they can work sitting down rather than standing up.

Developed with the support of healthcare professionals, employer representatives and trade unions, the new ‘fit notes’ will roll-out across Great Britain in the Spring of 2010 and it is intended that they will be computer-generated in GPs surgeries, replacing the current hand written version.