Sick for less than 7 days
If you're off work sick for 7 days or less, your employer 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. This is called self-certification.
Sick for more than 7 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.
A medical certificate note must be signed by a doctor. The GP can either say you are not fit for work, or can say you may be fit for work. The GP will choose the option for may be fit to work if they think that returning to work with support from your employer will help you.
There is also space for the GP to give advice and suggest ways in which your employer can help such as reducing hours, performing different tasks, avoiding heavy lifting in the case of back pain etc.
When your fit note 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 certificate.The doctor will review the sick note and issue another fit note or advised a consultation prior to extension.