When to refer someone to the Occupational Health Service

You should refer an employee if they:

• have been absent from work for 3 weeks
• are suffering from stress related symptoms or musculoskeletal injury even if they have not been absent from work
• have been persistently absent from work on a short term basis or there is a trend to their periods of absence
• are at work but is perhaps experiencing difficulty carrying out his or her full duties due to a medical condition

You should also refer to the absence process when deciding to refer an employee.

Talk to your employee about making a referral

You must talk to your employee before you make a referral to the Occupational Health Service.

It is vital that you speak to the employee to let them of your intention to refer them to the Occupational Health Service and your reasons for the referral.

You should also provide them with information about what to expect when they've been referred.

This will them understand the process and the reasons for it. It also provides the employee with an opportunity to share with you any information that is relevant to the referral.

If the employee doesn't consent to being referred

Whist the fitness for work referral process aims to assist the employee to attend work regularly and be effective in their role it is not possible to force an employee to participate in the referral process.

If your employee withholds consent to any part of the process it is advisable to speak with them so that you can understand their reasons for withholding consent and provide reassurance where necessary.

If, having tried to offer reassurance or resolve any queries, the employee is still not willing to consent to the process you should continue to manage the situation in accordance with the organisation’s Absence Policy based on the limited information that is available to you.