A doctor’s excuse note is not a random or fake doctors excuse note excusing you from missing work or school. When using our free doctors excuse template, please make sure to include a phone number in which someone can be reached to verify the doctor's excuse. It is against the law for your employer to ask your doctor(s) about any specific details of your doctor's visit, your diagnosis or treatment plans. Please visit the HIPPA link below to learn more about your rights to medical privacy.

There are four elements every doctor’s excuse note should contain:

1. The doctors contact information: Name - Address - Phone Number.
2. The date the doctor's excuse note was generated.
3. The name of the patient or subject under the doctor's care.
4. A Certification of Medical Consultation.

Simply stated the doctor's excuse certification must show that the patient was “seen” or “advised” by a doctor for a particular date or time period is usually all that is necessary. However, a doctor's excuse may also include instructions or conditions as to when to return to work and under what conditions or restrictions you should follow upon your return. It is usually not a good idea to include much, if any, information about what the patient may have been seen for. This helps compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and medical privacy regulations.

A doctor’s excuse note can protect you from many negative consequences of missing work or scheduled legal obligation. They may be appropriate whenever you need to document absences from work or school. They can also be used to be excuse an individual from things like jury duty, or court hearings. Depending on your employer, a doctor's excuse may not actually excuse your absence from work, but may allow you to utilize your paid sick time or other medical leave or vacation time. A doctor’s medical excuse note or "return to work" doctor's note is important when returning to work. The doctor's excuse note must medically allow you to return to work and inform your employer of any special conditions or restrictions you may have to follow when you return to work. Your employer may not violate any of the restrictions or special return to work conditions stated in the doctor's excuse note. Your employer could be he held liable if you were to be injured or your current injury became worsened as a result of your employer violating or not allowing you to follow the special conditions or restrictions listed in the doctor's medical excuse. A doctor’s excuse note is a legal document. As with all legal documents they are to be honored and respected as such.

DISCLAIMER:

This web site is designed to give you general information. The information on this web site is in no way intended to be legal advice. Legal advice can only be obtained by a licensed attorney who has the appropriate legal skills and knowledge related to your specific circumstances. Medical advice can only be obtained by a licensed physician.