Injured employees wants to come to work

[Ali-print]

I have an important employee who injured themselves outside work over the weekend. They did not want to loose any wages and came into work without getting any medical help. We told the person to go to the hospital and get it looked at. The person now has a plaster on and still wants to return to work.

I am not comfortable having the person return just incase they injure themselves while moving around at work. The person will not be able to do his job properly as it is a very physical job however they could be of help with advice and direction.

What should we do. We do not want him to loose out on his full wages however we want to protect ourselves from any legality or safety issues. Apparently as employers we should do encourage our employees to come back to work and should be advised by the "Fit Note" from the GP or Hospital.

 

[warren cass]

On issues such as this take professional advice, better still there are membership organisations (Mine included) which provide the advice and the legal cover in the event of dispute/tribunal. Well worth the small cost for the piece of mind.

Happy to talk you through it.

 

[Newchodge]

If he can be useful at work while carrying out a reduced role, ask him to visit his GP to get a fit note specifying what you can reasonably expect him to do.

Ensure he knows that you do not expect him to do anything more than is specified and exercise some degree of control by monitoring to ensure he does not exceed his limits.

If, despite all this, he sustained a further, or exacerbated his existing, injury you would only be held liable if you had been negligent. If you do as suggested above you are unlikely to be found to have been negligent.

 

[carl.atkinson]

Does the employee have a fit note from their GP? If the employee has not produced one I think that you could reasonably request them to do so given the nature of the injury. You have a duty to consider the health and safety of all your employees and such a request would seem to be in line with discharging that duty.

Obviously if there is a fit note then it would be difficult for you to dismiss that conclusion (unless you were going to get your own medical evidence on the issue).

 

[wearewattle]

I have an important employee who injured themselves outside work over the weekend. They did not want to loose any wages and came into work without getting any medical help.

So the person is important, has shown a very high degree of commitment wanting to return, you (quite rightly) are worried about him in the workplace if he is not fit....why are you not paying him full sick pay!? If he is that important and that committed then support the guy!?