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Fit notes - Is a month a ‘calender month or 4 weeks
Just been having a ‘chat’ with another advice worker who has a client on sick leave. Has been informed by HR that there is ‘a few days gap where they aren’t covered by a sick note’ (looks like the GP wrote on at least one note advice to refrain from work for one month from 17th March. They have told her that a month is four week. As a result they are going to continue paying her sick pay, but will ‘dock the days that are not covered by the sick notes. They have also continued to contact the client to ask about work related issues including at times late at night and in to the early hours of the morning.
Wasn’t there a guidance that a month was taken to be a 28 day period at some dim and distant past?
Cheers Neil
Not that I recall. A month is a calendar month. HR teams may take it as 28 days because of how they pay but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the intent of the GP. One month from the 17th of March 2016 runs to the 17th of April 2016. What HR say ceases to be relevant if you obtain confirmation of the intent from the GP.
what mike said. although there is provision in the sick note itself for GP to put a last day on it, the expectation being that patient will either go back to work the following day or go back to GP beforehand for next note to follow on.
Not that I recall. A month is a calendar month. HR teams may take it as 28 days because of how they pay but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the intent of the GP. One month from the 17th of March 2016 runs to the 17th of April 2016. What HR say ceases to be relevant if you obtain confirmation of the intent from the GP.
I agree apart from a month lasts from 17 March until 16 April imo.
I suppose if a fitnote was issued for 1 month from 1st February in a non-leap year then it would effectively be for 28 days, or 30 days if 1st April, etc.?
On a related subject, I came across this rather nauseous document the other day: