Which certificates of incapacity for work does the employer accept?
January 7, 2022 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Erika Keck
Dear Doctor,
My name is Franceska Walter and I have been working as an office clerk in a medium-sized company for several years. In recent months, I have unfortunately been dealing with more health problems and have had to stay at home several times due to illness. My employer has always accepted the sick notes from my general practitioner so far. However, I have heard that there are certain rules regarding the type of sick notes that the employer must accept.
I am worried that my employer may no longer accept the sick notes from my general practitioner, which could potentially cause problems for me at work. Therefore, I would like to know which sick notes my employer actually has to accept and if there are any specific requirements that need to be met.
Could you please provide me with more detailed information so that I can better inform myself and possibly discuss it with my doctor? I want to ensure that my sick notes will continue to be accepted without any issues in the future, in order to not jeopardize my job.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Franceska Walter
Dear Mrs. Walter,
Thank you for your question regarding the sick notes and your concerns about their acceptance by your employer. It is understandable that you are worried about potential issues at the workplace and want to ensure that your sick notes are properly recognized.
In general, your employer must accept sick notes issued by a licensed doctor. This means that your general practitioner is allowed to issue such certificates and your employer must also acknowledge them. However, there are some requirements that must be met for the sick note to be legally valid.
Firstly, the certificate must state the reason for the incapacity to work as well as the estimated duration. Additionally, it must include the patient's name, the date of issue, the practice address, and the signature of the treating doctor. It is important that these information are clearly stated on the certificate so that your employer has no doubts about its authenticity.
Your employer may also seek a second opinion if there are doubts about the sick note. In this case, he may ask you to visit another doctor who will issue a second certificate. It is important that you openly discuss your health issues with your general practitioner and consider further examinations or treatments, if necessary, to ensure that the certificates are accurate and well-founded.
It is advisable that you also familiarize yourself with the specific regulations in your employment contract or collective agreement to make sure that you follow all necessary steps. If you have any further questions or uncertainties, feel free to contact me personally or schedule an appointment in my online consultation hours.
I hope that this information has been helpful to you and wish you all the best for your health and your workplace.
Best regards,
Erika Keck
