Fake doctor’s notes…. what next?

Disability management is a delicate subject in most organizations; the secret is to have a comprehensive policy that provides sick benefits for those who need it and enough rigour to detect questionable claims.

There is a website that allows individuals to select the fake doctor’s note that they wish to have created on their behalf, to give to their employer (see in the “Featured” section of this newsletter). All I can say is, what next?

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Most companies want to provide sick benefits for their employees, to provide security and financial protection in the event of illness. The policy is usually broken into 3 areas: ad hoc sick days, short term disability insurance and long term disability insurance.

1. Ad hoc sick days

• A company may provide between 3 and 6 paid sick days for temporary illness.

• This is usually “self funded”, meaning that the employer continues to pay the employee their regular base pay or hourly wage, through payroll while they are sick.

• An absence greater than 3 consecutive days may require a doctor’s note to be submitted to the employer.

2. Short Term Disability

• Short term disability insurance is meant to cover the employee for up to 26 weeks (there may be a two week waiting period for benefits to commence) and sometimes combined with the Employment Insurance sick benefits.

• STD insurance typically reimburses the employee for between 66% and 100% of their regular salary during this period.

• The 26 week period may have different benefit levels (i.e. the first 5 weeks may be at 100% of regular pay, the next 10 weeks at 75% and the last 11 weeks at 66%).

• A doctor’s note will be required to receive short term disability insurance.

• The insurer usually requires the employee to attend a “third party medical assessment” to corroborate the doctor’s note provided by the employee. The secondary assessment will be performed by a doctor chosen by the insurer and attendance is usually required for continuation of disability benefits.

3. Long Term Disability

• A comprehensive short term disability benefit file makes the application process for long term disability insurance easier.

• Long term disability insurance is usually administered through a third party insurer and the application and compliance process is determined by their policies.

• Extensive medical evaluation is required to be approved for long term disability by the employee’s doctor as well as a “third party medical assessor” chosen by the insurer.

• The level of financial benefit typically ranges from 50% to 75% of the employee’s regular base pay.

• For those employers who do not offer Long Term Disability insurance, the employee can apply for Employment Insurance disability coverage.

An employer of choice will always offer a comprehensive policy that covers ad hoc sick days, short term disability insurance and long term disability insurance. This is a valuable policy that most employees give very little thought, until they find themselves in need of the benefit. Many employers outsource the disability management process to a third party for ease of administration and a greater level of confidentiality.