Yeah, but everyone's going to tell you not to go to A&E and waste time getting it checked out, and that a Doctor starting the process off won't help get a fit note from a GP a few days later. Or that a GP hasn't got the time anyway...
Anyways, OP asked about a specific issue; can I claim leave back if I'm unfit to work? Yes, providing you can provide proof later on, if necessary. Verbal/self certification might not be nearly enough to get the week back in lots of workplaces that (well within their rights) require a fit note for 7 days+ sickness, or if there's repeated absence linked to that for less than 7 days. The holiday year may be Jan-Dec, so a long memory might be required. Hence the fit note.
It's not always down to the employer/company to follow the procedures put in place: employees also have a duty to themselves to follow the guidance, often for their own advantage down the road when it comes to proving why a period of absence occured.
What’s to stop an employee booking a weeks leave, then self certifying as sick for the week and getting the week credited back?
That is a managers job, to recognise when people are pulling a fast one. Part of being a manager. Because 99% of staff DONT or WONT do that.
Not wimping out and putting a 'policy' in place which ruins it for the 99% in order to catch the 1%.
OP - Self cert of work for a week, claim the leave back.
Its what any decent company would have you do.
It requires confirmation from a Doctor that bones are broken for RIDDOR reportables.
anything over 3 days caused at work should be recorded not reported.
anything over 7 days caused at work becomes reportable -
how ever the specific reportables are reportable from the start - that includes broken bones(but not fingers thumbs and toes - which i always found wierd)
Any incident that results in injury (hospitalised) on site involving a member of the public not working on site is reportable straight away also.
Its highly unlikely that you dont have an accident book - what is likely that there are any entrys in it as they dont want the paperwork to admit anyone was hurt at work .
What’s to stop an employee booking a weeks leave, then self certifying as sick for the week and getting the week credited back?
The same thing that's stopping them from pulling a sickie generally. If they're going to cheat then why bother booking the leave in the first place?
Update. Texted manager this morning to let him know what happened and that I was self certifying, got no reply. I didn't follow up as I was going to A&E to find out more. Spent all afternoon in A&E waiting to be seen. They checked me over and sounded my chest. Said it could be fractured or just badly bruised but they wouldn't x-ray unless suspected complications as it was an unnecessary dose of radiation when it wouldn't make any diference to outcome.
I can confirm it hurts like hell when coughing or sneezing or sitting with it against backrest or doing anything that engages the muscles on that side.
