Paying of a sick note

[strafer]

Bloody whingin' Aussies.

[Jerricho]

Fair enough FD.

I really didn't think my simple little question would come to this.

(Strafer........why don't you go play in the traffic?! )

[Paul Wilson]

Jerricho,

The reason that doctors will issue sicknotes for illnesses under 7 days in length is that some employers will (illegally) ask for them before paying sick pay.

Now the Doctor is not being paid by the Govt. for issuing them, and indeed the paitient would probably not be in the surgery at all if they did not require them. So some doctors take the view that the charge should represent the cost of a GP appointment, and some just the extra work of a sicknote.

Now you as a patient faced with having to get a sicknote from your GP in order for your employer to pay you sick pay have a choice.

1. Pay up your £10 get your note, give to employer, get your sick pay.

or

2. Do not get a sicknote from your GP, then argue the case with your employer, and if that fails(probably will if they don't accept self-certification) take them to court to recover sick pay. In the meantime of course you've probably lost your job, and can then take them to an industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal.

Bottom line is that GP's charge for "under 7 day" sicknotes for the same reason thay charge for signing passport applications. It is not part of the job thay are paid to do, but it is a service people want, they are merely charging fair market value for an added value service.

[QDMQDMQDM]

The reason that doctors will issue sicknotes for illnesses under 7 days in length is that some employers will (illegally) ask for them before paying sick pay.

Yes, and the reason that doctors are not contracted to issue sick notes prior to 7 days is to try and prevent the surgeries being flooded with people with sore throats demanding a sick note for one day or two off work, because otherwise they'll get it in the ear from their employer. While there are a lot of bad employees out there, they are matched only, I'm afraid, by the amount of terrible, awful, tyrannical employers.

QDM

[Jerricho]

QDM and PW, thanks for taking the time for the replies guys. I'll be honest and admit that I hadn't really considered an employer asking for a certificate for less than the 7 days. Guess I have led a bit of a sheltered life when it comes to my employers.

[Tom the Tenor]

Self certification for up to 7 days sound ridiculous to me. Lots of people who are lucky enough to work for employers who provide holiday pay must be screwing that system quite nicely, thank you very much.

Here in Ireland it is normal that you can be off work sick for up to three days without a cert and after that it is again the norm to have a note from the doctor.

A lot of GPs in Ireland are extremely, very rich. Normal surgery consultation fees vary from about 45 Euro to 60 Euro and for a house call about 50 Euro to 70 Euro. The poor and over 70s have free care, people under 70 are assessed by a Community Welfare Officer as to their eligability.