I have filled out a self cert form confirming I had a bad shoulder on a day before I usually have 3 days off.
i used this as recovery time, but due to me having a day off previously weeks ago, they now want a sick note for the bad shoulder day, because I’m close to the percentage of how much time you can have off!

Where do I stand in this? I always thought it had to be 7 consecutive days?

What job do you do that a bad shoulder would keep you off work?

Yes, you can self-certify up to 7 days. https://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave

Mind you, I’m not exactly a good example; I was offered a 12 week sick note recently and started back at work after 4…

Rachel

self cert is up to 1 week off pro rata ie two day week two days 4 day week 4 days etc and its consecutive days not within a specified period so self cert should be OK, however it sounds like you have been playing ‘fast and loose’ with you sick days and the company are now wise to this.

7days self cert is correct.
Some employers will ask for a private sick note. There is usually a charge for such a note as it not a statutory part of a GP’s work.

I work in a warehouse that involves lifting!

And I had the other sick day due to a family member in hospital, no one else has had a return to work, despite having weeks off and no sick note

Here’s a tip for taking sickies – dont have loads of one day ailments, nobody who is sick enough to be off work recovers in 24hrs – get more adventurous and chuck in a few three and four day numbers. Google is a good source for the relevant info.

Well one day was seeing a family member in hospital after a motorcycle accident and mine was not going in on a Thursday and have off till the Monday due to those being my normal days off!

So, not sick then? Did you ask if there’s anything else you could do that wouldn’t require lifting?

glupton1976 – Member
Here’s a tip for taking sickies – dont have loads of one day ailments, nobody who is sick enough to be off work recovers in 24hrs

That’s not strictly true. I get migraines. If one comes on in the morning, then it’s dancing lights and screaming headache for a day that the only cure is to try and sleep in a pitch black room. Had one on Friday coincidentally.

Day later, all fine bar a faint dull headache.

Thankfully, my work are very understanding about it and we don’t tally sick days or give people an ‘allowance’ of them. Mind you, you still get the arses who say “it’s just a headache, take some paracetamol’.

Talk to your boss explain why you were off the first the time and ask if it be can changed to special leave or annual. Also offer to do some alternative duties whilst your waiting for your shoulder to heal rather than go ‘sick’ they will be more willing to offer you help and support if you do this.

well during the discussion with my manager whilst taking notes, she went out of the room, the GM then entered the room and had his usual big head on, and tried to say he doesn’t recall me telling him about my shoulder and me asking to ring my missus for a lift home, he came in all guns blazing and none of this got written down, so professionalism is not their strong point!

glupton1976 – Member

dont have loads of one day ailments, nobody who is sick enough to be off work recovers in 24hrs

Well, on the one hand, yes some HR departments react to single days off- I discovered in the last big company I worked for that they used a formula that treated a 1 day absence as “worse” than a 2-day one, which was interesting when people pushed themselves to get back to work as soon as possible then got crapped on.

Faced with a ropey system like that, the end result was that people who wouldn’t have dreamed of taking a sicky ended up staying off for longer than they needed to, great success 🙄 Sometimes you have to play the game by the rules they create, a guilty system recognises no innocents 😉

But on the other, “nobody who is sick enough to be off work recovers in 24 hours” is absolute horseflops.

however it sounds like you have been playing ‘fast and loose’ with you sick days and the company are now wise to this.

Jesus wept

They cannot ask for a Dr note as that is what the law says – you can Self cert – your contract may say different but I very much doubt it.

As fro the companies attitude just explain it as you have here

Might be best to ask if there is anything else you can do

I agree with dont take sick days take weeks – looks better

Here’s a tip for taking sickies – dont have loads of one day ailments, nobody who is sick enough to be off work recovers in 24hrs

BS – i had the shits the other week and simply daren’t leave the house in case i had an accident. I’d also had next to no sleep the night before cos of said irregular/unpredictable toilet patterns.

I was at work the day after so had one day off.

one day was seeing a family member in hospital after a motorcycle accident

Thats not a sick day then is it. I’d have to take it as unpaid, holiday, or make the time up.

nobody who is sick enough to be off work recovers in 24hrs

Ever had a hangover?

Right been on a course all day so couldn’t add this bit earlier.

You are entitled by law for time off for family emergencies such as care for a dependant. They don’y have to pay you but it’s not sickness.

https://www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants/your-rights