Fit for Work?? Prove It
28 May 2009
New fit notes are currently being trialed that are hoped to be introduced by April 2010. The idea is that doctors will have to complete forms, similar to the current sickness notes but that include a section where your doctor will state what steps they think are appropriate to enable you as an employee to return to work and the conditions that would be required for such a return back into employment.
This decision does appear to be a little odd based on the fact that medical advisors would not have the power or ability in the cases of work related stress, which seemingly accounts for a large proportion of long term absence, to order that employees move offices or work for different managers or dont come into contact with certain people which would be the ususal options open to an employer which would clearly be mmore useful.
It would therefore seem that the suggestions of a doctor - and it would be hard to see that they could be more than that, would be hard to enforce, limited in their power and could only suggest time for easing back into work. Again, it would appear that employers would be able to reject such notes on business grounds. We shall have to wait and see if these even come in let alone how effective they will be survice it to say that its definitely good that the government are addressing the issue of long term absence with a view to getting employees back into employment even if they plan does seem a little bit of a waste of space!?
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