Employers need to be aware of new health legislation due to be introduced next month, one insurance firm has warned.
The new Statement of Fitness for Work - informally known as a Fit Note - will replace the traditional sick note in April and Aviva has called on firms to make sure they are aware of the upcoming changes.
GPs will be able to advise an employee if they are a position to go back to work and how their condition could affect their productivity from April 6th onwards and liability risk manager at Aviva Phil Grace said the alteration will result in "changes to workplace and work processes".
Managers will have to become acquainted with the new system and gain an understanding of what GPs suggest regarding the fitness of personnel, he noted.
The move is expected to bring an extra £240 million into the British economy over the next decade as employees will spend less time off sick - according to figures from hc2d.co.uk - and Mr Grace said businesses should set up a new system to manage the Fit Notes.
This could include assessing the employee and encouraging them to report back on whether any changes to their working environment have been successful, he commented.
He was speaking after research conducted by Aviva earlier in the month showed only five per cent of companies questioned expect the Fit Notes to reduce absence rates, with ten per cent believing the notes will be too difficult to administer and 68 per cent admitting they are unaware of the change and the impact it will have.
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