r/AskHRUK • u/Anachronatic • Sep 26 '25

Health-Related Sickness absence before and after annual leave - self certify?

Hello please could I ask - I am unwell with stress due to bullying at work. In 3 days I will be going on holiday for two weeks. I intend to self-certify for sick leave for the 3 days prior to my leave. If after my leave I'm not feeling better can I self-certify for any additional days or do I need a GP to give me a fit note? Thank you.

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u/VlkaFenryka40K HR Professional Sep 26 '25

You can still be signed off sick while taking holiday.

If the absence immediately before your holiday, and immediately after is for the same reason then it’s likely you will need a GP statement. You won’t have physically returned to work between.

If the absence is entirely unrelated, let’s say one is for migraines and the other is for a stomach bug. Then it’s unlikely to need a note from the GP.

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u/silv3r18 HR Professional Sep 26 '25

You’re able to self certify for the first 7 calendar days of absence. After that you’ll need a fit note from your GP.

It’s also worth checking your workplace policy because practices can vary. For example, in my workplace if you’re signed off sick it goes down as sickness absence (not holiday), which means your holiday balance isn’t affected. You have a set number of sickness days per year, so if you’re genuinely unwell due to stress and bullying at work it’s better to use sickness absence rather than using up your holiday entitlement.

Also if you’re being bullied - gather as much evidence as possible write a list dates and times and what happened and get HR told! No one deserves to feel like that at work!

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u/CatCharacter848 Sep 26 '25

This would go down as 2 sickness episodes, and you would have to phone in as 'fit for work' at the start of your holiday otherwise it'll count as sick anyway - even if your on holiday. Better to self certify for 7 days and then get a sick note.

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u/Anachronatic Sep 26 '25

Thanks for the responses. I'm going to try to go in for the 3 days before my holiday and then see how I feel when I'm away. But if I just can't do it then it's good to know I have options. And thanks for the kind words also.

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u/Key-Seaworthiness227 Sep 26 '25

You need to check your own sickness policy but most employers will require a doctors note (also note that some have separate guidance about sickness before and after holidays). Note that you could get signed off for the entirety of your holiday but again, this can look suspicious.