Sick leave: resumption of the employee's work

For stops longer than 30 days (the duration of which has been continuous or discontinuous), a liaison appointment can be set up between the employee and the employer by involving the prevention and health service at work.

Example: the employee is off work for 20 days in January, then again 15 days in March for the same problem. Although the shutdown is not continuous, the cumulative duration reaches 35 days.

Both the employee and the employer can take the initiative.

The procedure can be done either by email or by simple mail. The liaison appointment can then be made by telephone or video conference.

The purpose of this interview is to anticipate the conditions under which the employee may or may not return to work and to inform him about the following:

• Action(s) to prevent occupational disintegration (e.g. training, retraining)
• Pre-Resumption Visit
• Measures for the organization of the position and working time.

However, this is not a medical examination. This appointment is optional.

Finally, the law does not impose a time limit for this liaison appointment. In addition, it does not replace the pre-take or take-back visit.

It is the prevention and occupational health service (SPST) that summons the employee.

The purpose of this visit is to encourage the employee to remain in employment at the end of his or her stay.

During this visit, the occupational physician may recommend the following measures:

• Workstation fittings and adaptations
• Recommendations for reclassification
• Vocational training to be organized in order to facilitate the reclassification of the employee or his professional reorientation.

This visit taking place before the work stoppage ends, a return-to-work visit will be carried out following the stoppage.

When does the employee have to take the return visit after his/her stop?

The employee must pass a return-to-work visit.

It must take place, no later than 8 days after resuming work.

It takes place in front of the occupational doctor on whom the company depends.

How is the employee invited to his/her return visit?

The employer contacts the occupational health service to set the date and time of the return visit.

Once fixed, the employee is usually informed in writing (mail or email).

What are the steps of the return-to-work visit?

The purpose of the return-to-work visit is to:

• Check that the employee is fit to return to work
• Check whether the work station (or, if so, the reclassification station to which the employee is assigned) is compatible with his state of health
• Review proposals for accommodation, job adjustment or reclassification made by the employer following recommendations made by the occupational physician
• Study the layout, adaptation of the position or reclassification of the employee
• Issue, if necessary, a Notice of Incapacity.

The return-to-work visit takes place during working hours.

What happens if the return visit cannot take place during working hours?

If the return-to-work visit cannot take place during working hours (e.g. night work), the time required for medical examinations is then paid as actual working time.

What are the employee's rights regarding remuneration during the return visit?

Absence shall be paid under the usual conditions, i.e. as actual working time.

When the employee returns to the company, he or she resumes his or her previous job.

However, if the latter is no longer available, the employee must then be reinstated in a similar job (of the same qualification or hierarchical level for example), with an equivalent remuneration.

The occupational physician may request accommodations on the station.