A doctor’s note may be required for a variety of reasons, but most commonly they are given to students or employees who are unable to attend school or work for an extended period. They are requested as proof that the absence of sickness was valid. If you are in need of a doctor’s note due to an illness, injury, or family emergency, this guide provides the necessary information that needs to be provided to your employer or school, or your patients if you are a doctor.
This guide is written for both patients requesting notes and doctors issuing them.
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A doctor’s note may be required for a variety of reasons, but most commonly they are given to students or employees who are unable to attend school or work for an extended period. They are requested as proof that the absence of sickness was valid. If you are in need of a doctor’s note due to an illness, injury, or family emergency, this guide provides the necessary information that needs to be provided to your employer or school, or your patients if you are a doctor.
This guide is written for both patients requesting notes and doctors issuing them.
A doctor’s note is proof that you visited your physician and were diagnosed as being unable to work or attend school. The purpose of the letter is not to provide details about how long it will take for an individual to recover, but simply prove they have been deemed unfit by a medical professional to perform their duties.
The doctor’s note should be valid for the length of time that your employer or school needs proof you were unable to fulfill your obligations due to illness, injury, and/or family emergency. You can ask your doctor to write the note for a specific day or duration.
If you are requesting time off from work, most companies will only accept notes that exist within 30 days of your absence and no longer than 60 days after returning back to work. At school, many schools require documentation every 7-10 days during an extended illness.
Any licensed medical professional can write you a doctor’s note including, but not limited to: nurses, physician assistants or nurse practitioners, chiropractors and acupuncturists. If you are unable to see your regular primary care physician, you can visit any licensed medical professional.
As previously mentioned, there are some instances when it is not necessary to see your primary care physician in order to receive documentation of illness or injury; most notably if the illness was very mild and did not require medical attention. In these instances, it is acceptable for you to call in “sick” and simply state that your symptoms were not severe enough to warrant a visit with the doctor (for example: mild stomach virus).
When should I see my primary care physician when sick? When experiencing moderate to severe symptoms that include:
If you are experiencing severe symptoms accompanied by the above signs and symptoms, call your local emergency services number.
A doctor’s note should contain a description of your injury and the type of work you are able to do. It is best if this information comes directly from your treating physician when possible, although it can also be okay for an employee to relay that information instead so long as they have received permission in writing (or email) from their physician.
The employee may include additional specifics about the injury in a note, such as future anticipated limitations or restrictions on activities (such as driving), along with any recommended forms of rehabilitation and/or physical therapy that could be helpful for recovery. It also can help to inform employers how long you might be off work, although this should not necessarily serve as a hard and fast restriction on how much time you are allowed to take. If your employer is unwilling to let you return during the period suggested by your doctor (and/or even earlier than that), they could potentially face legal action if an employee goes back too soon and becomes injured again.
A doctor’s note should also indicate when your employer can expect to receive a full return-to-work status from you, along with any necessary accommodations that will be needed while you are recovering—such as light duty or modified work duties. If physical therapy is recommended for recovery, it is a good idea to include any recommendations your doctor has made regarding these sessions.
Finally, it’s important that the employee signs and dates their note (and keeps copies for his or her own records) so employers can be sure you actually wrote the letter yourself—instead of having someone else fill in details on your behalf.
A doctor’s note for an absence from work does not need to include any instructions regarding the employee returning back to their job once they have recovered; employers do typically reserve that right on their own as long as it is done in accordance with applicable local laws.
A doctor’s note also should not contain any statements that suggest the employee is permanently disabled and unable to work in their current job, as this can have major repercussions on an individual if they cannot return back to work after a long period of time away (even while still recovering). This could also lead to denial of benefits from any long-term disability insurance policies that are in effect.
Employers do have the right to request further proof if they feel an employee is faking their injury or illness, including having them visit with another physician for additional consultation. Employers also can ask for additional medical documentation if they feel a prior doctor’s note is incomplete or unclear, and the employee should be willing to provide this information as soon as possible—although not until it has been cleared with their treating physician first (so any new instructions from that point forward are in writing).
Reassigning a doctor’s note to another employee while you are on leave can also be grounds for refusing it, as this is considered fraud and could lead employers to begin criminal prosecution if the practice continues.
