Posted By TBC This is really a Human Resources issue, but the H&S dept often gets dragged into these HR issues more and more. As far as I am aware the employee must produce a certificate from the doctor to say 'fit for work' signed off in other words. If you take them back without this - you could have problems insurance/H&S wise should anything go wrong. You don't say what they were off with - is it contagious? Is there a culture of this? 'Presenteeism' hits the white collar workplace. The UK's long-hours culture is becoming endemic in the world of the white collar worker. More than half of the UK's white collar employees - equivalent to 8.7 million people - work in a culture where coming in early, staying late and battling on when ill is expected, according to research. A survey of 750 UK staff, by healthcare provider PruHealth, reveals that 44 per cent believe that long hours culture and 'presenteeism' is becoming a more common feature of working life in the UK. One in seven workers claim their employer has made it explicit that they are expected to work long hours and to report for work when ill. Almost a third (31 per cent) of employees think a culture of long hours in the workplace adds to their levels of stress and 25 per cent said it had a negative impact on their health and well-being. Shaun Matisonn, chief executive of PruHealth, said: 'Presenteeism is becoming endemic.' Hope it helps

Posted By Alison Wright Reid You know this guy is at work while signed-off because he has told you. How many other staff come back to work before their sick note expires? If you check with your employers' liability insurers, I expect you will find they do not have restrictions on working through a sick note. So, it comes down to risk assessment - does the state of his eyes significantly impact on his own or any others' safety? And, stress-wise, etc, best to check he wants to come back because he feels fine and is bored, rather than because he has no alternative and is struggling.

Posted By Charley Farley-Trelawney A nice easy one this; the previous addition is quite correct, insurance will be null and void with respect to 'employer liability' you will need to either get the operative to sign himself off as being fit to return to work; or....the doc can do the same, you must remember however, you are the one in the driving seat, so to speak, and if you assess that the operative should not be at work its quite simple; they stay off until they are fit to return and are appropriately signed off the sick. Charles