Advice for victims: your work rights

If you've been the victim of violent crime, the last thing you want to worry about is taking time off work. Read on for your rights

It's not something anyone wants to contemplate, but imagine you've been the victim of a violent attack. An extremely traumatic experience, to say the least, and one that will leave you with a lot of rebuilding to do. You may well need to take some time off work to recover both physically and emotionally.

The last thing you will want to worry about is your job security - how will your employer react, what are you entitled to by way of support and time off work? Here are some guidelines as to what you can and should expect of your employer...

Click to find out about:

Taking time off

Long-term absence

Sick pay

What to expect of your employer

Back at work

Taking time off
You should be entitled to take sick leave to recover from the after-effects of a violent attack, be they physical or emotional. Although in these circumstances your need for time off will clearly be related to the attack, the general principle governing your absence will be the same as if you required time off for any other 'illness'. The time that you'll need to take off will of course depend upon the seriousness of your injuries. The basic rule is that your employer should allow you this time off - but bear in mind that they may require medical certificates to confirm the position.

Generally, your contract of employment should deal with the period of absence for which doctor's certificates are required - typically after any absence of seven days or more. If your contract specifies when you are required to provide doctor's certificates or self-certification, you really do need to comply with these requirements to avoid getting into difficulties. If you can't realistically get the information to your employer directly, do try to arrange for a friend or family member to keep them informed on your behalf.

If your employer requires a medical certificate for a shorter period, you may have to pay for it - doctors typically charge for certificates issued for periods of only a day or so. If this happens, your employer really should bear the cost of obtaining the certificate.