The sick employee: Medical certificates and the primary care physician

A medical certificate is the principal way physicians communicate an employee's illness or injury to the employer. The employer is entitled to nonspecific information as to whether or not the physician considers the release from work to be legitimate and whether the employee has any medical problems that might interfere with job performance or make the employee a health risk to self or to others on the job. Specific information about diagnosis is only required when an injury or illness is related to workers' compensation. The medical certificate should describe when the examination took place, should specify the period of time that the employee is unable to work and should designate when and under what conditions the employee may return to work.