If you’ve been off sick for 7 days or less:
Self-certification
If you’re off work for 7 days or less, you do not need to give your employer a fit note or other proof of sickness from a healthcare professional.
When you return to work, your employer can ask you to confirm you have been off sick. This is called ‘self-certification’. The employer and employee will agree on how the employee should do this. You might need to fill in a form or send details of your sick leave by email.
If you’ve been off sick for more than 7 days
You need to give your employer proof if you’re ill for more than 7 days in a row and have taken sick leave. This includes non-working days, such as weekends and bank holidays.
The fit note will say the employee is either ‘not fit for work’ or ‘may be fit for work’.
If it says the employee ‘may be fit for work’, employers should discuss any changes that might help the employee return to work (for example, different hours or tasks). The employee must be treated as ‘not fit for work’ if there’s no agreement on these changes.
To request a sick note:
- fill out a sick note request form
Find out more about sick notes on the NHS website.