“We are extremely grateful for all you did for us and I can't thank you enough for giving my husband his self esteem back. With all the encouragement you gave him he started to believe in himself again.”

How can we help?

We specialise in making reasonable adjustments. These are usually simple, common-sense changes to work routines. On the few occasions when costly alterations to equipment or premises are necessary, for example to IT equipment for someone with sight or hearing loss, we can usually access public funds to pay for it.

Give us a call or send an email. We will happily talk to your employee, at no cost, and let you know whether we think we can help.

The New Fit Note - What does it mean to you?

You may be fit for work taking account of the following advice: If available, and with your employer’s agreement, you may benefit from:

• A phased return to work
• Amended duties
• Altered hours
• Workplace adaptations

From April 2010, the sick note will be replaced by a “Fit Note.” As an alternative to stating the patient is unfit for work, A GP can now recommend: →

As an employer, what should you do when a GP ticks one of these 4 options on the Fit Note? This page offers a few thoughts to consider. If in doubt, give us a call.

Does this Fit Note place any new legal obligation on you as an employer?

The Disability Discrimination Act requires employers to make a “reasonable adjustment” for a disabled employee.

The 4 options on the new fit note are all forms of reasonable adjustment. If the employee is disabled, as defined by the Act, and it is reasonable to make such an adjustment, then the employer is obliged to do so. Whether this legal obligation applies depends on the circumstances of each case, in particular:

 Whether the employee is disabled as defined by the Act

 Whether an adjustment is practicable

 Whether it would overcome the problem

 The cost and whether funds are available either from inside or outside the organisation.

The Fit Note does not add to this legal obligation. However, once a Fit Note has invited you to consider making such an adjustment, it would be doubly difficult to later justify not doing so to an Employment Tribunal.

The Business case

We can quickly advise whether this legal obligation applies in a particular case. Whether it does or not, you will want to help your employee return to work as soon as possible, anyway. It makes good business sense to have him or her back at work as soon as possible, and the backing of the GP may be just the re-assurance a patient needs to give it a try.