If you’ve been sick for 7 days or less
If you’re off sick for seven days or less, your employer should not ask for medical evidence that you’ve been ill. Instead, they can ask you to confirm that you’ve been ill. You can do this by filling in a form yourself when you return to work. We call this self-certification.
Find out more about sick notes on the NHS website.
Sickness of more than seven days
If you are sick and off work for more than seven days, your employer will normally ask you to provide a medical certificate from your GP. When you need a certificate will also depend on your employer’s company policy on sick leave (or sickness absence). This policy should tell you how many days you can be off sick before you need a note.
To find out about your employer’s policy :
- ask your team leader or supervisor, or
- speak to someone from your human resources (HR) or personal department
When your medical certificate runs out
If your certificate runs out but you are still sick, you will need to consult the doctor again before you can get a further sick note. Renewal of an existing medical certificates cannot be completed until the current certificate runs out.
Medical certificates can be back-dated so it is not necessary to make an emergency appointment to renew your certificate. If you attend an emergency appointment for the purpose of getting a medical certificate, you will be asked to re-book.