Working with a sicknote

[msunnymol]

Are you allowed to work whilst having a sicknote?

I feel very low at the minute and suffering from panic attacks and low moods. Work is stressful at the minute due to many people off sick and I don't want to leave them in an even bigger mess by going off sick myself. I am thinking about going to the doctors but if they give me a sicknote does that mean I HAVE to stay off? could I not get one and talk to my manager and hopefully this will reduce pressure on me at work whilst still being there and sharing willing to help (I am currently waiting for my contact to be extended and going off sick could potentionally jeopardise this for me)

Thanks for help

You will get a fit for work note which can list what you can and can't manage. This means you can be ok for work but on light duties for example. There is no such thing as a sick note any more.

I can't imagine the GP will make you have a fit note if you don't want one.

There's nothing physically stopping from working, I'm just having a difficult time right now and pretty much in tears 75% of my day. I'm currently on holiday leave but due back weds and dreading it. I could go to work, I guess I just want my manager to know the state I'm in. Should I just discuss this with my GP and see what they say?

Yes, talk to your GP.

Your GP will write you a 'fit note'. That can say a number of things:

• Sunny is not fit for work at present;
• Sunny is fit for X duties;

-Sunny is fit for work provided X support is put in place. etc

Doctors won't generally sign you off totally without your agreement for emotional/mental problems. They are pretty self reporting. If you say "I'm fit for work but I need my manager to help with X and Y" they will almost certainly write a note that reflects that.

You do need to stay at home with a sick note.

I know this because on my first job out of uni, day four I ended up in hospital for two weeks with a kidney infection. When I came out of hospital I was told to have a couple of weeks off and given a sick note.

I went to work, was called to HR and they asked me for a fit to return note or whatever it is. I didn't have one, I was sent home and told to come back when I had one.

I stayed there for eight years despite my dodgy start - rarely had another day off!

Slow typing here -Libraries post is much more useful than mine - I have not got much of a clue apart from my experience which is now 20 odd years old.

Lavender's post is correct too though. If you are signed off totally your work would be likely to send you home if you went in (and they knew about the note- if you are not already off not sure how they'd find out!). They most likely aren't insured to have you there if you are not fit and they'd be on a sticky wicket if something happened at work which made you worse.