Sitting in a doctor's waiting room because of a short cold helps neither the person who is ill nor an overstretched healthcare system. That is why many workplaces have a self-certification policy: an employee can be absent for a short period due to illness simply by reporting it, without a medical certificate.
What self-certification means
With self-certification, the employee informs their supervisor that they are unable to work due to illness. No medical certificate is needed as long as the absence stays within the agreed maximum length.
The law does not regulate self-certification. The employer decides on it, unless the collective agreement requires otherwise. Practices vary, but typically an employee can self-certify an absence of 1–3 days at a time. At some workplaces the limit is longer.
Why the policy is worthwhile
- Fewer unnecessary doctor's visits. No need to get a certificate for an infection that clears up on its own.
- Faster recovery. A sick employee rests at home instead of queuing for an appointment.
- Fewer infections. Someone with a fever does not come to work just because they could not get a certificate in time.
- Cost savings. Occupational healthcare resources are kept for matters where a doctor is genuinely needed.
What to agree on clearly
A good self-certification policy is written down and known to everyone. Set out at least:
- How many days at a time an employee may be absent by self-certification.
- How and to whom the absence is reported, and by when.
- Whether the limit accumulates over the year or applies to each absence separately.
- When a certificate is needed, for example when an absence is prolonged.
- How repeated absences are handled. An early support model together with occupational healthcare is appropriate here, not punishment.
The workplace's agreed self-certification procedure determines what the notification must contain. Health information may be processed only by the people who need it, on a lawful basis, for example to pay sick pay. Treat does not disclose your individual health information to your employer.
When a certificate is needed
When an absence continues beyond the self-certification limit, an assessment by a healthcare professional is needed. In Treat, a licensed doctor can assess the situation remotely and, where medically justified, write a sick leave certificate without a separate visit. Treat does not issue certificates automatically; the assessment is always made case by case.
This article is general information and does not replace legal advice. Check the provisions of the collective agreement for your sector.