Medical Leave & Disciplinary Process

Likely option here is after a time, they will get referred to company doctor who will assess fitness to work as well as fitness to partake in the investigation which are different things. as Jim says rest of the process will continue on without them and resume when they are back. It won't go away so best to face it and get it over with

The problem with being referred to the company doctor is in the name: company. The doctor wont have an ounce of sympathy or objectiveness as they work directly for the company and are aligned 100% with their goals, so if they want to discredit an employees medical claims in order to sack them, they will absolutely do this.

Ive seen this happen countless times over the years. An employee is getting bullied by a co worker or boss, or stressed from their workload. They are signed off for a number of weeks from their GP but the company wants them gone so they instruct the company doctor to minimise their physical and mental complaints and push them firmly in the direction of returning to work asap, with some false promises of an adapted workplace to add to the pressure. Workers like this are less resilient and vulnerable when stressed, so more likely to push their own needs aside.

I would absolutely bring a witness with you to any meeting with you and take notes of everything the doctor says.If they refuse, go straight to a solicitor for legal advice. Many companies have a witness in the room when doctors meet employees, its an ar*e covering thing in case they are accused of saying or doing something false. So you are entitled to do the same and make sure you are being treated properly and have your medical needs respected. Company doctors are some of the most horrible people you will ever encounter.

Yeah the employee seems like a real piece of sh1t trying to steal a few months sick pay and trivialising mental health in the process.

The Hippocratic Oath ha ha, are you living in the same country as I am? The health profession in this country is riddled with incompetent and toxic doctors, surgeons and nurses. Some piece of paper wont change that.

Company doctors work for the company, and are aligned and focused on their goals. If one of these goals is to discredit and invalidate the medical conditions of an employee they want gone, then thats what they will do. How long do you think a company doctor would last if they were compassionate to their employees illnesses and recommended adaptations to their workplace/reduced workload/reduced hours etc? All these things cost companies time and money. If you are naive enough to think a company doctor will be anything other than totally loyal to the company, i feel sorry for you.

I've never heard of a company doctor who actually works for the company.

Nobody on this forum takes anything you say seriously after your stance on holidays on the other thread.

I was about to say the same thing.

It's usually outsourced to "occupational health" companies.

He can't seriously think that shouting "mental health" to a doctor is some get out of jail free card that immediately stops everything else that is going on? That they are going to keep paying him while he sits at home with his doctors note?

If that worked then how would anybody ever get fired? Of course they will continue the investigation.

I'll assume by sick pay he means state sick pay, because I doubt very much the company will be paying any.

Rubbish. A number of other posters noted that considering each employee's family needs is legally required.

There are dozens of companies that have their own medical officers, mainly semi state or large employers.