Employees only need a fit note, sometimes still called a sick note, if they’ve been off sick for more than 7 calendar days in a row. For sickness absence of 7 days or less, employees can simply self-certify, telling their employer they’ve been unwell without providing medical evidence.
In short:
- Employees only need a fit note if they’ve been off sick for more than 7 calendar days in a row, including weekends.
- For sickness of 7 days or less, employees can self-certify, no medical evidence required.
- Providing a fit note is a legal requirement once an absence passes 7 days, since it’s the evidence that continued sick pay depends on.
- Fit notes can be issued by a GP, hospital doctor, registered nurse, occupational therapist, pharmacist or physiotherapist.
- A fit note says the employee is either “not fit for work” or “may be fit for work”, the second option means the employer should discuss any changes that could help them return.
- Employers should only ask for a fit note from the 7th day of absence, not before.
What is a fit note?
A fit note is an official statement from a registered healthcare professional giving their medical opinion on whether someone is fit for work. Fit notes used to be called sick notes, but the name changed because the form focuses on what an employee might still be able to do, not just what they can’t.
When do employees need a fit note?
Whether an employee needs a fit note depends entirely on how long they’ve been off sick.
If someone is off sick for 7 calendar days or less, including weekends, they don’t need a fit note. They can self-certify, meaning they simply tell their employer they’re not well enough to work, without providing medical evidence.
If someone is off sick for more than 7 calendar days, they need to get a fit note from a registered healthcare professional. This applies even if some of those 7 days fall on a weekend or a day they wouldn’t normally be working, according to gov.uk.
Is providing a fit note a legal requirement?
Yes. gov.uk describes it as something employees “must” give their employer once they’ve been off sick for more than 7 days in a row, and Acas frames it the same way: employers are entitled to expect a fit note once that point is reached.
The requirement is tied directly to sick pay. Beyond the first 7 days of self-certification, a fit note is the evidence an employer needs before they can continue agreeing sick pay, so providing one when it’s properly requested is what keeps sick pay flowing, not just good practice.
Who can issue a fit note?
Fit notes aren’t only available from a GP. A fit note can also be issued by a hospital doctor, registered nurse, occupational therapist, pharmacist or physiotherapist. In some cases, an employee might instead be given an Allied Health Professional Health and Work Report by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist, if their employer agrees to accept it, though this can’t be used to apply for Employment and Support Allowance.
What does a fit note actually say?
The healthcare professional issuing the fit note has to tick one of two boxes: that the employee is “not fit for work”, or that they “may be fit for work”.
If the fit note says an employee may be fit for work, the employer should discuss whether any changes could help them return, for example different hours, tasks, or working from home for a period. If the employer and employee can’t agree on suitable changes, the employee should be treated as not fit for work.
If the absence turns out to be linked to a disability, employers have a legal duty to consider reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, separate from anything noted on the fit note itself.
How should employers request and handle fit notes?
Employers should only ask an employee for a fit note from the 7th day of their absence onwards, not before, since a healthcare professional may refuse to issue one earlier. Fit notes are free if someone has been ill for more than 7 days when they ask for one, though a healthcare professional can charge a fee for a note requested earlier than that.
The employee should give their employer the fit note on the 7th day of absence, or as soon as possible after. Employers can keep a copy, but the employee should hold on to the original. Storing that copy alongside other employee records in your HR software keeps everything in one place if it’s needed later.
Some employers automate the reminder itself, so nobody has to remember to chase for a fit note manually. A workflow like fit note after 7 days only sends a reminder to the employee and their manager once a sickness genuinely passes that 7-day threshold, rather than flagging every short absence.
What if there’s a delay getting a fit note?
Appointments aren’t always easy to book, so a short delay isn’t unusual. If this happens, the employee should let their employer know why there’s a delay, for example a wait for a GP appointment, and roughly when the fit note is likely to arrive. This keeps the process fair and avoids treating a booking delay as if the employee simply hadn’t provided evidence.
Tips for handling fit notes well
- Only request a fit note once an absence passes 7 calendar days, not before.
- Keep a copy on file, but let the employee keep the original.
- Treat a “may be fit for work” note as a conversation starter, not a final answer, and discuss what could realistically help.
- Once the fit note stage ends, a return-to-work workflow can pick up the next steps automatically.
- Don’t assume a short delay in getting a fit note means the absence isn’t genuine.
Fit notes, tracked without the chasing
Following up on a fit note manually is easy to forget when there’s a lot going on. Sense HR’s fit note workflow only reminds you once an absence genuinely passes 7 days, so nothing needs to be chased from memory.