WHEN YOU ARE SICK

SICK NOTES

Doctors are not required by law to issue Sick Notes (statements) for periods of incapacity last 7 days (including weekends) or less, nor for the first seven days of longer periods of sickness and employers should not ask you to get a sick note from your doctor.

If your employer insists on a sick note to cover this period, a private sick note may be issued and a charge will be made.

Your employer may ask you to complete Form SC2 or their own sickness statement.  Form SC2 is an Employee’s Statement of Sickness to enable you to receive statutory sick pay.  SSP is money paid to employees who are away from work because they are sick  If you are not eligible for statutory sick pay your employer will give you a form SSP1 to tell you why.

If you are unemployed of self employed you may be able to claim Incapacity Benefit.  You can use form SC1 to claim

If this applies to you, you can obtain the form from your local Social Security Office.

Although doctors do not usually issue statements for periods of sickness lasting 7 days or less,   sometimes when you consult your doctor it is clear that your sickness will last longer than 7 days.  In that case your doctor may decide to issue a statement dated from the date of your examination.

If you need an ongoing sick note and have already seen the doctor please call the surgery and inform the receptionist.  She will need to know your name, date of birth, the dates the sick note is to run from and to and the reason for the note as stated on your previous sick note (if you have one).  The sick note usually takes 48 hours to prepare.