Amended Fit note rules coming to an end

Towards the end of December 2021, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced a temporary change to the requirement for a fit note for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) purposes. Where an employee was absent from work due to sickness on or after 10 December 2021, employers could only ask for proof of sickness (usually a fit note) after 28 days, rather than the usual 7 days. The change was implemented to give GPs more time to work on the Covid-19 booster programme.  The change to the rules only applied to absences that started before 26 January 2022 so with effect from 24 February 2022 (28 days later), employers can revert to asking for a fit note after the usual 7 days.