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In sickness and in distrust
Sickness absence at work is a (behavioural) economics affair. So is the sick note.
When you move to a different country for work, differences in default terms of employment can lead to surprise and confusion. Having emigrated from Belgium to the UK, now quite a while ago, I bumped into one such facet when I caught influenza and could not come into work. I rang my supervisor to alert him, and told him I would go and see the doctor as soon as I was well enough to get up and drive (I was so ill I was unable to stand up, so it was definitely not a simple case of man flu). “ No need just yet,” he answered, “ you only need a sick note if you’re off more than seven calendar days.” That was news to me — back home, a medical certificate was essential, even for the shortest sickness absence. Why such a profound difference, and with what consequences?
The economics of a sick note
I was reminded of that time earlier this week, when the topic of the sick note hit the news in my native country. Last November, the legal obligation to provide a medical certificate for a one-day absence was — under conditions — lifted. Since then, the Green party has tabled a bill that would extend the term for which no certificate is required to three days, which has gained the support of one of the GPs’…
