The current rules surrounding sickness absence in the UK are a burden for businesses, it has been claimed.
John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said that 70 per cent of firms believe that the regulations regarding employee health and wellbeing are in need of reform.
He made the claim ahead of the review by welfare reform minister Lord Freud which is due out next week.
In the report, the minister is expected to call for doctors to be stripped of some powers which enable them to sign people off work, arguing that doing so would boost the economy.
Mr Longworth stated: "Sickness absence and the rules that surround it are a big problem for UK firms … The existing 'fit note system' does not work for business."
The Health and Safety Executive recommends employers train line managers to deal with extended periods of sickness and record and monitor absence to help minimise the impact it has on productivity.
