Sick Leave / Absence Query

el Fenomeno

Hi,

Regarding a sports injury, my GP has referred me to a specialist clinic for some scans and a specialist consultation.

Is this generally an acceptable "excuse" for sick leave? Do sports clinics give medical certs for employers or should this be sought from my GP? If anyone has prior experience.

Thanks

drunkmonkey

Why would you need to go on sick leave are you disabled because of the injury?

el Fenomeno

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Why would you need to go on sick leave are you disabled because of the injury?

No I don't mean anything long term, I just mean for 1 day to attend the appointments. The scans and consultation are quite spaced out - one morning, one afternoon so I'll be there for most of the day. I'm wondering if this day has to be taken as annual leave or can it be taken as a sick/medical absence.

harr

el Fenomeno wrote: »

No I don't mean anything long term, I just mean for 1 day to attend the appointments. The scans and consultation are quite spaced out - one morning, one afternoon so I'll be there for most of the day. I'm wondering if this day has to be taken as annual leave or can it be taken as a sick/medical absence.

I would have always mentioned to boss that I had Hosptial appointment or scans and I would have taken an unpaid day .. or if I had them to spare a days leave.
I don’t think Hosptial appointments are classed as sick days as they are planned. Show the boss the appointment letter and decide.

Space Dog

el Fenomeno wrote: »

No I don't mean anything long term, I just mean for 1 day to attend the appointments. The scans and consultation are quite spaced out - one morning, one afternoon so I'll be there for most of the day. I'm wondering if this day has to be taken as annual leave or can it be taken as a sick/medical absence.

I doubt your employer will allow you to take sick leave for an appointment with a specialist, but maybe it's different for you, so check with HR. We have to take annual leave or work up the time if we attend an appointment - unless it's a serious medical emergency. In that case you'd probably get a sick cert from the doctor.

el Fenomeno

Thanks. I don't mind treating it as annual leave if need be as I have the days to take, but obviously I'm not going to turn down paid leave if it was standard. Sounds like it's at the employers discretion so I'll check with HR. Thanks all.

At my workplace you wouldn't be expected to use annual leave for a medical appointment - but it wouldn't be classed as sick leave, it would be time off for a medical appointment (which would be paid time).

If you were going to use sick leave, for whatever reason, I find it strange to think you'd need a cert - any place I've ever worked you only need a cert after 3 days of absence.

el Fenomeno

true-or-false wrote: »

At my workplace you wouldn't be expected to use annual leave for a medical appointment - but it wouldn't be classed as sick leave, it would be time off for a medical appointment (which would be paid time).

If you were going to use sick leave, for whatever reason, I find it strange to think you'd need a cert - any place I've ever worked you only need a cert after 3 days of absence.

True. I guess the referal letter or appointment confirmation letter would be fine anyway. Just want it to be known that I'm not taking the piss and looking for random time off!

OMM 0000

I have never worked for a company who wouldn't see a hospital appointment as sick leave.

Kind of messed up so many people here seem to work for terrible employers...

Mrs OBumble

Paid sick leave is always at the employer's discretion.

Some do provide it, and some allow it to be used for appointments.

However ones that don't may not allow annual leave to be used for medical appointment though, since they're not exactly rest and recreation.

So find out their policies before you ask.

Where I work (public service) if a full day's absence is required, we need both proof of the medical appointment, plus a letter confirming we attended the appointment, in order to claim medical appointments as paid absences. Neither needs to specify the nature of your illness/injury, its sufficient to say "attended for consultation".

So while you don't have to have a cert, per se, its no harm asking the doctor or clinic to give you a note confirming you attended. I've never had a problem getting one of these, most hospital clinics have them pre-printed, and they just fill in your name and date stamp it.

I always get these even when I just attend my GP and go to work afterwards.

(eta) full day medical appointments are definitely counted towards sick leave limits.