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Navigating sick leave: How to get a medical certificate in NZ

NZ Herald

04-08-2025

Health
NZ Herald

Navigating sick leave: How to get a medical certificate in NZ

Part-time and fulltime employees are entitled to 10 days' sick leave for themselves or to look after someone who's sick, but in some circumstances, employers may ask for proof. Who can issue you a medical certificate if you need one? Photo / Getty Images The Holidays Act states an employer may require an employee to produce proof of sickness or injury for sick leave if the sickness or injury that gave rise to the leave is for a period of three or more consecutive calendar days, and a proof of sickness or injury may include a certificate from a health practitioner. The employer could ask for proof within three consecutive calendar days, but they would have to pay the employee's expenses in obtaining the proof. E tū union national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said while it was legal for employers to ask for a sick note, they urged employers to waive the requirement. 'This is the employers' right but it causes hardship to workers who either can't get a GP appointment or have to pay high consultation fees to GPs, including online doctor practices. 'Employers don't have to ask for medical certificates and we would encourage them to drop the requirement unless there is some doubt in their minds about the genuineness of the illness.' Paul Jarvie, manager of employment relations and safety at the Employers and Manufacturers Association, said there could be an imbalance in the medical certificate process. 'One is the employment system, and the second one would be the medical system. Ideally they should work in tandem, but sometimes they appear to be working at odds with each other. The doctor can only hear the employees version of what's going on and there's no real ability for the doctor or whoever it is to contact the employer to find out their story of can the person come back to work, are there alternative duties that kind of stuff. So there's always been a bit of a disconnect.' Where do you get a certificate? General practitioners The most common way to obtain a sick note is to go through a general practitioner. For enrolled patients, depending on the GP, the cost for an appointment can range from $18 to $90. However, with a GP shortage, it can take weeks to get a GP appointment. An RNZ-Reid Research poll found about 60% of respondents were able to get a GP appointment within a week, 30% were waiting for more than two weeks with 17% waiting three or more. Telehealth services Virtual healthcare businesses and some GP services offer online medical certificates. Patients can often get an on-the-day video call or phone call and receive a medical certificate for three to five days. An appointment generally costs around $40 to $65. However, buyer beware: a quick search by RNZ found overseas companies marketing sick notes for New Zealanders and asking for personal information including IDs in its application process. The Ministry of Health said only health practitioners registered with a New Zealand authority can issue valid sick notes. Pharmacies Pharmacists are legally allowed to write sick notes. However, not all do. For pharmacists who confirm they are able to provide a medical certificate, an in-person consultation is required and costs between $30 to $40. It is best to call the pharmacy before your visit to confirm that they can write sick notes. Who else can issue sick notes? Ministry of Health says a health practitioner is defined under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 as a person who is, or is deemed to be, registered with a New Zealand authority as a practitioner of a particular health profession. A list of professions regulated under the Act and their responsible authorities can be found on the Ministry of Health website. The list contains 18 professions with a range that includes from Chinese medicine services to dietetics, nursing, osteopathy to psychotherapy. It is important to differentiate medical certificate and proof of sickness, while only medical practitioners, doctors, can write medical certificates, all health practitioners can certify proof of sickness. Can Healthline provide sick notes? Healthline is a free over-the-phone health service available 24/7 and connects the caller to nurses and paramedics. But the service does not issue sick certificates. In an email, a spokesperson said: 'That's because the Healthline service involved nurses and paramedics providing triage (assessing symptoms, providing health and treatment advice, developing a plan for next steps for care), not diagnosis. 'And to be able to issue a medical certificate would mean being able to verify that someone was unable to work for at least 3 days, which most of the time would require some form of medical diagnosis, which is not part of the service we offer.' - RNZ

Getting a medical certificate without a doctor

Otago Daily Times

03-08-2025

Health
Otago Daily Times

Getting a medical certificate without a doctor

Employers can legally ask you for a medical certificate if you need to take sick leave - even for one day. It can be a long wait to see a GP, but there are other ways to get a sick note. Winter coughs and flu are still doing the rounds - and Covid hasn't gone away - so if you need to call in sick there are a few things to know. When do you need a medical certificate? Part time and full-time employees are entitled to 10 days sick leave for themselves or to look after someone who is sick, but in some circumstances, employers may ask for a proof. The Holidays Act states an employer may require an employee to produce proof of sickness or injury for sick leave if the sickness or injury that gave rise to the leave is for a period of three or more consecutive calendar days, and a proof of sickness or injury may include a certificate from a health practitioner. The employer could ask for proof within three consecutive calendar days, but they would have to pay the employee's expenses in obtaining the proof. E tū union national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said while it was legal for employers to ask for a sick note, they urged employers to waive the requirement. "This is the employers' right but it causes hardship to workers who either can't get a GP appointment or have to pay high consultation fees to GPs, including online doctor practices. "Employers don't have to ask for medical certificates and we would encourage them to drop the requirement unless there is some doubt in their minds about the genuineness of the illness." Paul Jarvie, manager of employment relations and safety at the Employers and Manufacturers Association, said there could be an imbalance in the medical certificate process. "One is the employment system, and the second one would be the medical system. Ideally they should work in tandem, but sometimes they appear to be working at odds with each other. The doctor can only hear the employees version of what's going on and there's no real ability for the doctor or whoever it is to contact the employer to find out their story of can the person come back to work, are there alternative duties that kind of stuff. So there's always been a bit of a disconnect." Where do you get a certificate? General practitioners The most common way to obtain a sick note is to go through a general practitioner. For enrolled patients, depending on the GP, the cost for an appointment can range from $18 to $90. However, with a GP shortage it can take weeks to get an appointment. An RNZ-Reid Research poll found about 60% of respondents were able to get a GP appointment within a week, 30% were waiting for more than two weeks with 17% waiting three or more. Telehealth services Virtual healthcare businesses and some GP services offer online medical certificates. Patients can often get an on the day video call or phone call and receive a medical certificate for three to five days. An appointment generally costs around $40 to $65. However, buyer beware: a quick search by RNZ found overseas companies marketing sick notes for New Zealanders and asking for personal information including IDs in its application process. The Ministry of Health said only health practitioners registered with a New Zealand authority can issue valid sick notes. Pharmacies Pharmacists are legally allowed to write sick notes. However, not all do. For pharmacists who confirm they are able to provide a medical certificate, an in-person consultation is required and costs between $30 to $40. It is best to call the pharmacy before your visit to confirm that they can write sick notes. Who else can issue sick notes? The Ministry of Health says a health practitioner is defined under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 as a person who is, or is deemed to be, registered with a New Zealand authority as a practitioner of a particular health profession. A list of professions regulated under the Act and their responsible authorities can be found on the ministry's website. The list contains 18 professions with a range that includes from Chinese medicine services to dietetics, nursing, osteopathy to psychotherapy. It is important to differentiate medical certificate and proof of sickness, while only medical practitioners, doctors, can write medical certificates, all health practitioners can certify proof of sickness. Can Healthline provide sick notes? Healthline is a free over-the-phone health service available 24/7 and connects the caller to nurses and paramedics. But the service does not issue medical certificates. In an email, a spokesperson said: "That's because the Healthline service involved nurses and paramedics providing triage (assessing symptoms, providing health and treatment advice, developing a plan for next steps for care), not diagnosis. "And to be able to issue a medical certificate would mean being able to verify that someone was unable to work for at least 3 days, which most of the time would require some form of medical diagnosis, which is not part of the service we offer."

RNZ News

07-07-2025

Health
RNZ News

As it happened: First public hearings into New Zealand's Covid-19 response begin

Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck, right, and employment relations and safety manager Paul Jarvie. Photo: The first public hearings into New Zealand's Covid response get under way on Monday - with a focus on lockdowns and vaccines. The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19 is looking into the government's response to the pandemic and its effects. It is the first time submissions will be heard publicly, with the sessions livestreamed. You can follow updates from today in our live blog above. This week's hearings particularly concentrate on the impact of the extended lockdown in Auckland and Northland in 2021 and on vaccine mandates and safety. In a minute issued on the Inquiry's website chair Grant Illingworth KC said that would include the effect on "social division and isolation, health and education, and business activity. Covid 19 response Inquiry chair Grant Illingworth KC. Photo: Screengrab / Covid 19 Inquiry "We will also hear from experts about the key decisions and their consequences, and lessons to be learned from what happened." The hearings would be in secure hearing rooms, with commissioners, witnesses, lawyers and media present. There was no provision for public attendance beyond those submitting but the live streams would run and be available as recordings as well, the minute said. Witnesses would be questioned by lawyers helping the inquiry, and commissioners could ask questions. A second public hearing was due next month in Wellington. That was to hear from key decisions makers who "led and informed" the government's response to the pandemic. This Royal Commission was set up under the previous Labour government, but its brief was expanded under the current government, with Illingworth taking the chairing role. A report from the first phase was delivered last year. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Scoop

03-06-2025

Business
Scoop

WorkSafe Changes A Welcome Step Towards Modern, Supportive Regulation

Press Release – EMA The changes – including a new letter of expectations, a restructured funding model, and a legislative rewrite of the regulators core purpose – represent a significant shift in the approach to health and safety regulation in New Zealand. The change in focus for WorkSafe New Zealand is long overdue and should assist employers in keeping workers safer while having fewer concerns about being punished, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA). The changes – including a new letter of expectations, a restructured funding model, and a legislative rewrite of the regulator's core purpose – represent a significant shift in the approach to health and safety regulation in New Zealand. The EMA has long advocated for a more balanced, collaborative model that fosters partnership and practical support for employers and workers. 'Hello, what can we do to help?' may be the new greeting from a WorkSafe inspector, says EMA Manager of Employment Relations & Safety Paul Jarvie. 'These reforms will help modernise WorkSafe into a regulator that promotes compliance through education rather than fear,' he says. 'This is a welcome and necessary change. For years, businesses – particularly small and medium-sized enterprises – have felt they were being policed rather than supported. 'We've heard consistently from our members that the culture of enforcement-first created a climate of fear and concealment, rather than clarity and cooperation. This meant businesses were reluctant to call in WorkSafe for assistance because they were worried about simply being fined without getting the help or guidance they originally sought to avoid or manage a potential risk in the workplace. 'That feedback has come through strongly from our members for many years and Minister van Velden heard the concerns during her roadshow events with small to medium businesses last year. The EMA has been calling for a shift towards an enabling, advisory-based regulator – and it's pleasing to see the government respond.' The announcement includes a redefinition of WorkSafe's role, with a greater emphasis on early engagement, targeted guidance, and clear, consistent advice. Updating and streamlining more than 50 guidance documents and re-prioritising critical risk areas are among the first steps being taken. 'Cleaning up of WorkSafe advice documents is long overdue and must continue,' Jarvie says. 'Clear expectations, consistent advice, and a shared goal of risk reduction should be the foundation of our health and safety system. New Zealand workplaces are safer when employers and regulators work in partnership.' The EMA also supports the move to involve industries more directly in developing Approved Codes of Practice, with WorkSafe providing guidance and oversight. 'Industry knows its risks best,' says Jarvie. 'Empowering businesses to help shape the standards they work to – with proper regulatory oversight – is a smart, pragmatic approach that will deliver better compliance and ultimately, better outcomes for workers.' The EMA assisted the Minister 's review roadshow and found strong support from our members for these changes. The EMA is actively involved in supporting our members to meet and surpass their health and safety obligations through our comprehensive training programme. The EMA looks forward to continuing to work with the government, WorkSafe, Unions and other key stakeholders to ensure the transition achieves its intended purpose: a modern, fit-for-purpose regulator focused on outcomes, not bureaucracy.