"Fit For Work"

[ErmICantThinkOfAName]

I work weekends in a pub and last weekend, whilst working on Saturday night, I came down with a nasty sick bug and had to be sent home. I was not due to work again until this Friday (tomorrow.)

On Sunday I received a text from my manager that said "please don't forget to obtain a doctors note to clear your return to work as you physically vomited last night and company procedure has to be followed in such circumstances thanks."

I have seen my GP this morning and she has advised me that she cannot provide a Fit Note in these circumstances and that if my company want a letter then it will be £15 and they will have to pay. However she cannot point me to where exactly the law states this, if it does at all."

Can anybody advise me where I stand? I am on a 0 hours contract and do not receive any sick pay if that makes any difference. I cannot afford to lose my job!

Thanks in advance.

You don't need a fit note/doctors note if you are off for less than 7 days. Do you know what the company procedure is? I would say that a lot of people wouldn't go to the doc in these circumstances anyway, seems a bit unnecessary as you aren't back in work until 6 days after the incident!!

I don't know much about this but I think it's a health & safety requirement to stay away from work for 48 hours after the end of a sickness / D&V bug if you work in a food / drink preparation environment.

Therefore I think they are being unreasonable in expecting you to get a FitNote this long after the event (provided you have not been sick since the weekend).

A doctor is not obliged to provide a FitNote until after you have been off for 7 days, as stated above and they are perfectly entitled to charge for a private letter (which is what this would be).

In your shoes I'd point out the H&S regulations and tell them that the doctor refused to give you a FitNote because you were off sick for fewer than 7 days.