The medical certificate is a document requested by the patient during a medical appointment, whether routine or of urgency, which justifies their absence or temporary absence from work or other paid activity for reasons medical.
Total or partial absences from work, motivated by medical reasons, are provided for in legal means, such as article 6, paragraph f, § 2 of law 605/49, where regulates that, if the employee is absent due to illness, upon presentation of the medical certificate, he will not lose his salary or the Weekly Rest Remunerated (DSR).
This document is a right that every patient has when consulting and cannot be denied. However, it is up to the physician to make the best assessment and certify what he/she deems convenient and ethical to the exercise of his/her profession and that also reflects the patient's condition.
For the issuance of a medical certificate, some important requirements are necessary, such as having simple language and truthful content, being duly signed by the doctor who examined the the patient on the effective date of the care provided, in addition to the medical recommendations relevant to the patient upon the assessment made, as well as their rest period, if any necessity.
It is important to remember that issuing a false medical certificate or any other type of documentation is considered illegal, causing, in addition to dismissal for just cause, the criminal penalty.
Medical Certificate Delivery Deadline
The Brazilian labor legislation (CLT) does not establish a deadline for the delivery of the medical certificate at the workplace. However, it is understood as a reasonable period the delivery of the document within 48 hours, counting from the first day of leave.