A fit note refers to a note that you would be given by your health physician or a GP to show your condition regarding your ability to be effective in your job place. The note is written to your employer. It can either indicate that you can resume your full job description or partially. It can also suggest that you are unfit to resume any duty at your workplace. Your employer, on the other hand, has a responsibility to take.
For instance, if the doctor noted that you could work, but on conditions that the employer is not willing or able to stand by, the employer can choose to consider the note as ‘unfit note.’ This usually is common if the note recommends you work but at the expense of another employee or the employer.
There are several situations which would call for a fit note. The note helps you to communicate your condition to the employer in a more precise and natural way without any doubts to your employer. It also helps your employer to make a reasonable adjustment to have the company operate as usual.
Getting a fit note
Typically, the fit note is given by your medical doctor or a GP. You have two options in getting one. The first way is when you are sick, and you have gone to the hospital, the doctor can give you the fit note based on your condition. Alternatively, you can walk to your GP especially when you feel that you are maybe struggling to do what you have been doing. The same applies even to the school set up.
In a simple explanation, there is no need to continue struggling to work when you feel that you are not productive, and you have no control over it.Once you are given the fit note, you need to discuss it with your employer. If the note indicated that you are fit to work on the condition, you together with the employer can see which state ca work for the good of both the company and you. For instance, you can choose to take different tasks far from the normal, work on a few hours, work under support of other employees or any option that can work well for you. The employer, however, does not have a right to force you to resume your work entirely contrary to your doctor’s fit note.
Fit note for work
XXX Health center
State
Name………………gender……………..age………….date…………………………
Dear………………
Kindly excuse…………………………from work from Monday to Wednesday. He/she has been diagnosed with malaria and will have to undergo treatment under nurse care for three days. I have prescribed for him medication, but he/she needs direct supervision to see the progress.
Yours sincerely
Doctor’s Name
Signature
Fit note for school
XXX Health center
State
Name………………gender………………..age………………….date……………………
Dear………………
Kindly excuse…………………………from school on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. He/she has been diagnosed with malaria and will have to undergo treatment under nurse care for three days. I have prescribed for him medication, but he/she needs direct supervision to see the progress.
Thank you
Yours sincerely
Doctor’s Name
Signature
Fit note for travel
XXX Health center
State
Name……………………….gender………………..age……………….date……………
Dear………………
Kindly excuse…………………………from the travel. He/she has been diagnosed with depression and is under medication. He/she is not safe to travel by flight. You are advised to give him/her an alternative travel mode or even excuse him/her from the task fully.
Thank you
Yours sincerely
Doctor’s Name
Signature
Fit note for depression
XXX Health center
State
Name……………………gender……………..age…………………………….date………
Dear………………
Kindly excuse…………………………from any sensitive responsibility for one or so months. He/she has been diagnosed with depression and is under medication. It is so that you help us work on his/her case by avoiding giving him any responsibility. Once the condition is solved, we will recommend him/her to resume her duties.
Yours sincerely
Doctor’s Name
Signature
Fit note for a child
XXX Health center
State
Name……………………gender……………..age…………………….date………………
Dear………………
Kindly excuse…………………………from attending school or from doing (specify the activity) in school. He/she has been diagnosed with (state the illness) and so should not be exposed to any form of vigorous exercise. He is under the medication and is expected to resume back in a week time.
Thank you
Yours sincerely
Doctor’s Name
Signature
Fit note for gym
XXX Health center
State
Name………………gender…………………..age………………….date………………
Dear………………
Kindly excuse…………………………from attending the gym. His/her compliance with gym instruction has affected his/her normal body operations. He/she should be exposed to more straightforward physical exercise, not through the gym. We recommend that you freeze his/her gym account until we state otherwise.
Thank you
Yours sincerely
Doctor’s Name
Signature
Generally, fit notes are meant to add credibility to your excuse from a given duty. If you feel that you are unfit for a given responsibility, you should talk to your GP to get your fit note. The reasons for any excuse should be genuine.