Swine flu self-certification ‘nothing to fear’, says CIPD

Employers who manage sickness absence consistently “have nothing to fear” from emergency plans to allow staff to self-certify sick leave for up to two weeks in response to the swine flu pandemic, according to the CIPD.

Senior public policy adviser Ben Willmott said that the government’s contingency plans for certifying sick leave would be a “common-sense and pragmatic” response to an escalation in the flu pandemic. “The plans have been designed to help prevent the spread of infection and reduce the workload on healthcare professionals during what would be a very challenging time. It seems a proportionate response,” he said.