Doctors' notes should still be needed after seven days

The RHA is taking a prominent role in opposing plans for employees to be able to self-certify for illnesses involving absence of work for up to 14 days.

The present limit is seven days absence, after which a doctor's note is required.

The Department of Work and Pensions and the Department of Health had indicated it wanted to move to 14 days as a temporary measure because of the extra burden imposed by swine flu; they also wanted to put in place a framework for use as and when deemed to be required in future.

But they have held back after strong concern was voiced by business. At a meeting last week involving the Cabinet Office, RHA director of employment affairs Ruth Pott played a prominent role, along with the CBI. In the event that it were to be judged essential to introduce a 14-day rule, she added, it would be appropriate to review every two months, not after six months as suggested.

The TUC spoke in favour of the proposal to extend self-certification to 14 days.