SnowdropKCS HR and Payroll Solutions, over 30 years' experience in the HR and Payroll industry

Don't use fit note scheme 'to rush people back to work'

Businesses have been urged not to speed up their absence management procedures following the implementation of the new fit note scheme.

The initiative, which will come into effect from April 6th 2010, aims to reduce the issue of workplace absenteeism - a problem which currently costs the UK economy £100 billion per year.

Claire Hollins, employment law solicitor at Mace & Jones, noted that the chance to get employees back into the workplace rather than spending unnecessary amounts of time off sick will come as a boost to many businesses.

"Recession-stricken firms and organisations will be keen to use this regime to get all available hands on the deck," she commented.

But Ms Hollins warned employers not to rush staff back to work, pointing out that GPs will have little knowledge of the workplace or what an employee's job entails.

Last month, the CBI said that businesses are likely to welcome the fit note system.

A phased return to work could be good for those who have been off sick, it remarked.