disclosing sickness information at work

[toffee]

I know this isnt a legal site.
Can anyone tell me when you hand in a sick note at work, how many people are allowed in law to see that/ know the reason you are off work?
Im not talking working for one boss, Im talking large public sector...
Where can I look to find out?

 

[Gary_M]

As far as I am aware, it would be at your manager's discretion as to who needs to know 'above him/her'. Usually it would stop with your manager, but depending on the nature of the sickness, they may need to inform their manager, etc. They should not be passing any information on if it is not necessary, and certainly not to any work colleagues.

It would also go to someone in HR or admin who is responsible for tracking sickness, and giving you any relevant forms to fill in.

Hope this helps

 

[toffee]

thankyou.

 

[securespark]

When I was off sick, the info went from my immediate manager to the area manager and from there to the Occ. Health Dept. No further.

 

[keyplayer]

Does a sicknote clarify reasons for absences?

 

[Brightness]

It can do and they also usually get sent on to head office as well as being seen by management.

 

[B.O.B DOLE]

I know this isnt a legal site.
Can anyone tell me when you hand in a sick note at work, how many people are allowed in law to see that/ know the reason you are off work?
Im not talking working for one boss, Im talking large public sector...
Where can I look to find out?

Put it this way matey if you have got the clap or any kind of a desise the whole place will know about it
when you go for a meal in the canteen do the girls suddenly where masks and thick rubber gloves and when you sit down eating your meal is there a vacant table all arround you.

if not you cant be as bad as we thought

 

[keyplayer]

Whatever happened to the hippocratic oath?

 

[empip]

Whatever happened to the hippocratic oath?

I swear by Apollo the physician, by Æsculapius, Hygeia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgement, the following Oath.

To consider dear to me as my parents him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and if necessary to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art if they so desire without fee or written promise; to impart to my sons and the sons of the master who taught me and the disciples who have enrolled themselves and have agreed to the rules of the profession, but to these alone the precepts and the instruction.

I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death.

Nor will I give a woman a pessary to procure abortion.

But I will preserve the purity of my life and my art.

I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art.

In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves.

All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal.

If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot.".....

Then continues into modern versions and relevance etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_oath

 

[Richardp]

 

[empip]

I know this isnt a legal site.
Can anyone tell me when you hand in a sick note at work, how many people are allowed in law to see that/ know the reason you are off work?
Im not talking working for one boss, Im talking large public sector...
Where can I look to find out?

In my experience only those required to see the note whilst carrying out their work function should do so.

Look here for 'Codes of practice' guidance regarding data protection, in particular 'sensitive data'.
http://www.ico.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id=437

I would imagine membership of a union or professional body such as the RCN or similar would enable access to resources, knowledge and legal help if required on any employment based problems.

 

[toffee]

I am concerned about the amount of times sensitive information about staff is being churned out to line managers every time they are off work.
This may information such as miscarriage, from 18 years ago which has no bearing on peoples sickness today.
There is a policy at work but I do not think it is proportionate to give this out , especially if there is no issue with a persons sickness record.
Also, not all staff are aware that this happens and there is potential for say for example, a persons spouse or ex spouse or family member to become their manager and become privy to information from years ago that in a personal capacity, they have not been told and which would be detremental to the relationship.
Due to management changes and staff changing specialisations and promotions, there have been twelve management changes within about 3 years.
On average, 3 to 4 managers will see the record on each sickness, so if a person has been off 3 times in those 3years, then all 12 will have seen their record.
If that becomes typical then over a 30 year career there is potential for hundreds of staff to see this personal information.
If trigger points arise and there are concerns about reasons for amout of sickness, then we can send for full records at any time.
For those with genuine sickness, I feel it uneccessary that information such as a miscarriage or even an ingrowing toenail in 1988, should be churned out repeatedly and viewed by ever growing numbers.
I am checking data protection as I think this is a breach.

 

[Steve]

i've never been off sick in 3 years not once! i've always dragged myself into work whatever (mostly because i usually start at 7 and have to open the shop, if i dont go, the shop doesn't open on time = i get sacked or severe disciplinary, plus, its impossible to give the required 3 hours notice of sickness if you fall ill 1 hour before you start work at 6am!!!!)

reminds me of a tale from another shop - staff member was on shift at 7am, when the shop opens, and didn't turn up - her excuse "i'm sick and when i phoned the shop at 3am, nobody answered!"

anyhow, when we get a sicknote at our shops, we put it in the internal mail to head office who file it.

 

[toffee]

crafty you are very lucky to have been in such good health.

Unfortunately for some, the current systems sometimes get abused and used as bullying tools, or as a way of shaming and humiliating people who have been ill.

It is with sadness and annoyance that I have seen managers waving sickness records of staff and tutting and making their own (often ill informed)negative assumptions about people whilst 'bragging' about their fantastic good health and very low rate of sickness absence.

My point is that no one really cares how many people know that they have been off with a cold.

Im talking about people with stress or anxiety conditions due maybe to a loved ones illness if not their own, or marriage problems or finance, or people who have been off due to personal operations, cancers, gynae conditions etc that are fair more sensitive than a cold.

People should not be subjected to having this brought up and read, when ever they off again.

We probably all know skivers and those who are always off sick when they arent really ill.
Any patterns of this would show up by looking at a one or two year sickness history.
If it is longer ago than that, then it isnt a pattern.

 

[Spark123]

I was always under the impression it is of no business of the management the medical reasons for anyone being sick. Where I work I always forward sicknotes directly to the occupational health, who will rarely and not without permission from myself show any of my medical record to anyone wether management, HR or the likes. The reason they give for this they are not doctors so are not qualified to use the information.