Instructions: how to correctly make corrections to a sick leave certificate

If an employee falls ill, the doctor issues him a sick leave certificate. This is the main document for calculating temporary disability benefits, the correct completion of which determines whether the Social Insurance Fund will reimburse the employer for its part of the benefit. The sick leave form must be filled out in accordance with strict rules. But no one is immune from mistakes, so our article will tell you how to correct what was done incorrectly: how to make a correction on a sick leave certificate by an employer in 2021, a sample of acceptable corrections and various features of correcting errors.

Is it possible to correct a sick leave certificate?

Sick leave serves as the basis for both payment of social benefits to employees and reimbursement of expenses incurred to employers. Therefore, it is so important to fill it out correctly, because the Social Insurance Fund may refuse to reimburse the organization for the funds spent on compensation if, during an inspection, it discovers errors in the certificate of incapacity for work.

The employer must provide thorough training to the employee responsible for handling sick leave. The specialist must be able to find and correct errors in the document so that the FSS reimburses the expenses, and the accountant does not have to bother the inspector with the question of why compensation from the Fund has not yet been received into the current account.

Therefore, we advise you to save this article to your “Favorites” in order to have at hand a sample of corrections on sick leave by your employer in 2021.

What errors can be corrected?

The strict reporting form contains two sections. The attending physician enters information into this section. The second must be completed by the employing organization. Mistakes made by an employee of a medical institution are prohibited from being corrected. In such cases, a new document is filled out, in which identical information is entered as in the original sheet, and the same date of issue is indicated (FSS Letter No. 14-03-18/15-12956 dated October 28, 2011). If the doctor’s errors were discovered by the responsible employee of the accounting department or human resources department when receiving the form, he must return it with a requirement to provide a correct duplicate of the sick leave certificate.

There are some inaccuracies in filling out: extra spaces in the initials of the attending physician, missing dashes, the name of the employer in quotation marks, some words written in capital letters, blots and other spam. Such blots are not intrusive, do not affect the meaning and content of the document and should not interfere with the accountant when calculating compensation (FSS Letter No. 14-03-11/15-11575 dated September 30, 2011). They do not need to be hidden, and therefore, this will not be a basis for cancellation or issuance of a duplicate document, and a sample for making corrections to the sick leave certificate by the employer will not be required (Letter of the Federal Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation No. 14-03-18/15-12956 dated October 28, 2011).

The legislation does not define the period allotted for correcting errors, but the employer must not delay this and correct errors as soon as possible in order to avoid an on-site inspection by the social insurance authorities.

How to correct errors on a sick leave certificate: instructions for employers

Minor blots and shortcomings when drawing up a certificate of incapacity for work are allowed. But a situation may arise when an error is made on the sick leave certificate; how to correct the error in filling out depends on who made it.

If an error is made by the employer on the sick leave certificate, corrections are permissible. But specialists responsible for working with sick leave in an organization should take into account that making corrections is strictly limited. According to the new rules, the employer has the opportunity to make no more than two corrections (clause 60 of the Resolution of the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation No. 81 of 04/07/2008).

Correction of an error on a sick leave certificate by the employer must be carried out in accordance with the established procedure:

• the use of a proofreader is prohibited on the certificate of incapacity for work;
• all adjustments are indicated on the back of the document signed by the responsible person (director, chief accountant or other authorized employee);
• It is allowed to cross out erroneous data only with a pen with black ink.

Let's consider in detail how to correct each error option.

Invalidation of an entry

The main and most common way to correct inaccuracies in work book entries is to invalidate the erroneous data. Let's look at the procedure for such correction using an example.

In the section of the work book under serial number 14 there is a record of the dismissal of employee Stepanenko O.O. from 10/21/2015, made on the basis of order No. 121-k and a statement of resignation at his own request.

On the morning of October 21, 2015, the manager filled out the work book and prepared all the documents necessary for dismissal, but Stepanenko O.O. withdrew her application and decided to continue working in the organization. To cancel a dismissal record, the manager must take the following actions:

• Issue a new order that cancels the dismissal order (for example, No. 122-k).
• Make a new entry dated 10/21/2015 in the work book under serial number 15 of the following type: “Entry number 14 is invalid.”
• After the entry, indicate the date and number of the new order, on the basis of which the previous entry is invalidated (in this case, this is order No. 122-k dated October 21, 2015).

If the correction of the entry concerns another issue (for example, the employee’s position is incorrectly indicated), then in the second paragraph, after indicating the number of the invalid entry, you must also enter the correct data.

Sample of cancellation of an entry in an employee’s work book

Incorrect employer name

Expert opinion

Gusev Pavel Petrovich

Lawyer with 8 years of experience. Specialization: family law. Has experience in defense in court.

The name of the employing organization is entered on the form in full accordance with the constituent documents. In this case, it is allowed to indicate both the full and short name (clause

66 of Order No. 624n). If the document contains an error in the name of the organization on the sick leave certificate, then the specialist must carefully cross out the incorrect name, write the correct value on the reverse side and indicate “Corrected to believe”, certifying all this with the seal of the organization and the signature of the responsible employee.

Individual cases of correction of records

How to correct the date in the work book if there is a mistake in the date?

If there was a blot on the date of the acceptance order, then the standard correction scheme is used, and in column 4 the correct date of the acceptance order and its number are entered.

If an error is found in the date the appointment was made, then you will have to do things a little differently. Since the correct hire date cannot be entered in column 2 of the corrective entry, the following scheme is recommended:

1. In column 1 the next number is entered;
2. In column 2 - the date of making the corrective entry;
3. Column 3 begins with the words “The entry numbered ... is invalid”;
4. Column 3 continues with a repetition of the appointment record mentioning the correct date of appointment;
5. In column 4, note the details of the acceptance order.

The entry in the work book is invalid - sample:

The situation with dates in dismissal records is similar, but a little more complicated. When recording information about dismissal, the employer closes the block of records of a particular institution and puts the stamp and signature of the manager.

To correct a previously made dismissal entry, you will have to open a new block for this one corrective entry , that is, precede the corrective entry with a line with the name of the place of work, and after the correction, close the block with the seal and signatures of the manager and the resigned employee.

Sometimes the question arises whether dates need to be corrected if the month is written in words in the order details (the Instructions only talk about Arabic numerals). Experts believe that this is not the level of inaccuracy that requires correction, so they advise not to touch the date recorded in this way, but to be more careful in the future.

Errors in position

If an error in the job title is discovered before the person leaves the organization, then you won’t have to write down much: put down the number of the corrective entry, its date, a phrase about the invalidity of the admission (or transfer, etc.) entry, then repeat the entry about admission/transfer with the correct job title and order details.

If inaccuracies were found after the dismissal was completed, then there are two options for making changes - by the organization itself that made the error, or by the current employer based on the documents provided by the previous organization.

If the correction is made by the former employer, then there is the need to open a new block, starting it with the name of the company, and after the correction, close it with the seal and signatures of the manager and employee. If the error is corrected at the place of current work, then in the fourth column indicate not only the details of the order, but also the name of the organization that issued the order.

Errors in record number or history

Sometimes two entries under the same number are found in the labor record. If the violation occurred a long time ago, then some personnel officers advise not to touch the entire huge number of entries between the erroneous and the last one, but to invalidate and correct only the number of the last entry so that it reflects the total number of entries in the Labor Code.

Sometimes repetition of numbering occurs while making entries , and the error is detected in time. There are two ways to resolve the error.

If entries with the same numbers (for example, No. 6) have different dates, then when making a correction entry, it is recommended to indicate: “Entry number 6 dated 12/01/1987 is invalid.”

If the records not only have the same numbers, but also the same dates, then it is recommended to add, for example, the letter “a” to the number of the erroneous record, and after that in the correcting record it will be possible to refer to the record numbered 6a.

If the entry does not have a number at all , then it is advised to put it and then refer to it. If a neighboring entry made by mistake is without a number, you can simply write “The previous entry is invalid.”

Errors in the name of the organization

The name of the organization serves as a heading that opens a block of records about work activities with a specific employer. The title is not numbered, so it will not be possible to correct it according to the general scheme: it is impossible to identify the entry with the title.

It is usually proposed to do the following : invalidate the entry preceded by the name, and then repeat it, first entering the correct name as a heading.

If an error in the name is noticed before continuing to fill out, it is unnecessary to create a corrective entry under a separate number. Just write “The title is incorrect” and give the correct title in the next line.

Errors in employment records

A common mistake when making an appointment with a TC is unnecessary information. Sometimes almost the entire content of the acceptance order is transferred to the Labor Code: that the contract is fixed-term, the probationary period, the number and date of the contract. All this is not provided for by law. How to correctly make an entry for employment with a probationary period, read the link. It is recommended to correct a record with unnecessary information : create a corrective record that will contain the number and date of correction, a phrase about the invalidity of the redundant record, an admission record without unnecessary information (if the correction is made on a different date, add the date of admission after the word “Accepted”) and order details .

Errors when registering dismissal

Most often, dismissal records incorrectly formulate the reason and indicate the wrong article of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. It’s easy to make a mistake, because the Code provides for four articles (71, 77, 81, 83) and 48 possible wordings of dismissal.

Another “leader” of errors when preparing a dismissal record is the use of abbreviations when referring to the Code and its sections.

Much controversy arises around the record of voluntary dismissal. The Instructions for filling out the Labor Code for such cases contain the phrase “Dismissed at his own request,” however, the Code stipulates the requirement to reproduce the wording of the appropriate article in the Labor Code.

In the relevant Article 77, the reason is formulated differently than in the Instructions, and if the Code is adhered to, the notice of dismissal must contain the phrase
“The employment contract was terminated at the initiative of the employee.” Correcting an entry in the work book about dismissal - you can see a sample below.
While experts are arguing, and the requirements of the two documents are not brought to a single form, it is recommended to follow the requirements of the main document - the Labor Code, but the wording “Dismissed at his own request” does not need to be corrected, since it does not distort the meaning of the entry.

Correction of a dismissal entry is made according to the general scheme: the corrective entry is assigned the next number in order, the date is fixed, the erroneous entry is declared invalid and a corrected version is recorded containing the actual basis for dismissal and the required article, after which the details of the order are repeated.

Sometimes an employee who is fired, as they say, under an article, that is, for failure to perform official duties, absenteeism, theft, etc. , the employer agrees to change the wording of the reason for dismissal. For this purpose, an order is issued mentioning another article and reason.

In the corrective entry, not only a different basis is indicated in the third column, but also the details of the new order are entered in the fourth column.

Correction of the dismissal date in the work book - sample:

This is what a correct entry should look like:

Errors in full name on the title page

If we are talking about incorrect spelling of a first name, patronymic or last name, or a discrepancy between them and passport data (another, extra, missing letter), then there are two possible options:

1. If an inaccuracy in the full name is noticed during the process of registering a new TC, it is better to destroy the damaged book and create a new one with the correct entry.
2. If an inaccuracy in the full name was identified at the next place of work, then only a court can prove the ownership of the Labor Code. The owner will have to go there with the necessary documents confirming his identity and with an application to include the correct spelling of his full name in the work record.

Corrections in the work book - sample in the surname:

Filling extra lines

The form contains several lines that do not need to be filled out in the general case of temporary disability, but the specialist fills them out by mistake:

1. "Work start date." Indicated if the employee sought medical help in the period between the date of conclusion of the employment contract and the date of its cancellation. This line implies entering the day from which the employee begins work upon cancellation of the employment relationship.

1. Cross out the incorrect entry with a neat line.
2. On the back of the form, indicate the phrase: “The line ... is considered blank.”
3. Add the entry “Believe the corrected one”, put the signature of the responsible employee and the seal of the institution (clause 65 of Order No. 624n).

How to correct inaccuracies in the insert?

When any of the sections of the work book ends , that is, there are no more free lines left in it for making entries, you should open a special insert and file it in the book.

If, at the very beginning of filling it out, the personnel officer makes a mistake in a word or phrase, the insert is destroyed when drawing up the act.

But on the title page of the work book they have already put down its series and number . A new insert form must be filled out, and now its number should also be entered on the title.

An entry about work entered incorrectly into the insert is corrected in the same way as if it were in the work book itself.

That is, for the new entry, the next serial number is given, the current date is written, it is written that such and such an entry is invalid, then the correct information is entered and confirmed by an order - the same one that was indicated in the incorrect entry.

Errors in calculations

If the responsible employee made an inaccuracy when calculating and entering into the form the calculated amounts of average or average daily earnings or the employee’s insurance record, then it must be corrected in a similar manner to previous cases: carefully crossing out, correcting to the correct value and confirming the entry.

But there is a more complex situation that requires a recalculation of the amount of social benefits. For example, a recently hired employee did not provide a salary certificate from the previous employer, and when calculating compensation for temporary disability, he does not have data on earnings for the two years preceding the insured event.

The accountant calculated the minimum wage allowance. Subsequently, the employee brought the necessary certificate, and, in accordance with it, the amount of payments increased significantly.

In this case, the employee has the right to apply for recalculation of the sheet within a three-year period after closing the form.

How should the error be corrected in such a situation? Here it is necessary to correct both the average salary itself and the final amount of compensation, and these are five indicators. Since only two corrections can be made to the register, the recalculation procedure is carried out on a separate document, which will be an integral attachment to the sick leave.

At the same time, the specialist does not make adjustments to the original document (clause 67 of Order No. 624n).

Error during correction

The employer must always ensure that corrections are made correctly, otherwise he may lose compensation. But there is a situation when the responsible specialist made the corrections incorrectly. Is it possible to correct the certificate of incapacity for work again?

For example, the accountant entered the correct data directly above the crossed out line, and not on the back of the document. This is considered a serious drawback; it will be difficult for the Social Insurance Fund to compensate the employer for expenses, since the information from the cells simply cannot be displayed when read.

That is, if, when filled out in handwriting, all the information on the temporary disability certificate is readable and does not interfere with the identification of the register, then you just need to make the corrections correctly: indicate the correct information on the back of the sheet and certify it with a signature and seal.

If the numbering is wrong

It happens that an error in the work book is made not in the information about the work or on the title page, and not even in the name of the award that the employee received, but only in the numbering .

However, this does not mean that such a flaw is not of great importance. is also and cannot be corrected by crossing it out.

For example, two consecutive entries had the same number in the first column: “No. 16. Hired to the position of leading specialist in the HR department,” then “No. 16. Transferred to the position of chief specialist in the HR department.”

To correct the number 16, which was accidentally written twice, the entire last entry be invalidated. In this case, enter the correct serial number - 17, and then clarify: “The entry number 16 is invalid. Transferred to the position of chief specialist of the HR department.”

Sample corrections

Here is the correct example of how to correct a sick leave certificate for an employer.

A sick leave certificate is a document of strict accountability. It is on this basis that the Social Insurance Fund compensates the employer for temporary disability payments to employees.

Therefore, there are certain requirements for filling it out. And if the law allows you to turn a blind eye to some minor errors, then a serious error on a sick leave certificate often becomes the basis for refusal to pay for it.

In this case, you will need to either certify the corrections or apply for a duplicate.

The procedure for filling out a certificate of incapacity for work

Formally, a sick leave certificate is a document of strict accountability, which is confirmation of temporary incapacity for work, as well as the basis for payment of benefits to the employee.
Therefore, there are strict rules for filling out. The formal type and content of sick leave are approved in Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development No. 347n dated April 26, 2011. How to fill out and how to correct an error on a sick leave certificate is indicated in Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development No. 624n dated June 29, 2011. Also, the procedure for registration and issuance is specified in 255-FZ of December 29, 2006. Since a certificate of incapacity for work is the basis for payment of temporary disability benefits, the developers have provided for it several degrees of protection against counterfeiting, and also established strict requirements and a sample of how to make a correction on a sick leave certificate.

According to the rules from Order No. 624n (clause 56 of the Order), the certificate of incapacity for work is filled out as follows:

1. The filling tool is a pen with black ink. It is not recommended to use a ballpoint pen with blue ink.
2. Entries are made neatly and in clear handwriting, strictly in the cell format, starting from the first column.
3. The form can be filled out manually, electronically, or by combining the two methods.
4. All entries are made in each position, starting from the first cell.
5. The stamp should not appear on the information lines of the document.

A common question is whether it is necessary to indicate the employee’s telephone number or address on the temporary disability certificate. There was no official announcement from legislators on this issue, which means that such information is not included in the certificate of incapacity for work.

There is a myth that sick leave cannot be folded. There is no such requirement in the law. You can provide a sick note folded in half or four. FSS employees don’t like this and won’t say “thank you,” but they won’t refuse to accept documentation for payment of temporary disability benefits.

Rules for filling out sick leave

The certificate of incapacity for work performs a dual function:

• confirms the fact of the employee’s illness and his visit to the doctor;
• serves as the basis for payment for the period of incapacity.

In this case, the employer pays only for the first three days of illness, the rest of the period is financed from the Social Insurance Fund, which compensates the organization for the payments made. This happens after checking the sick leave certificate - its authenticity and correctness of completion.

The sick leave sheet consists of two sections:

To be completed by the attending physician

Primary requirements:

• The certificate of incapacity for work can be filled out by hand or typewritten:
• if entries are made manually, they are made only with black gel paste, capillary or fountain pen. Filling with other colors or ballpoint pen is not acceptable;
• if the provided number of cells is not enough for a complete record (for example, a doctor’s specialty), abbreviations are allowed that do not affect the understanding of the meaning;
• the name of the disease is not indicated; it is replaced by a code.

It is recommended to fill out the form in capital block letters. However, if the responsible person, out of ignorance or absent-mindedness, makes an entry in capitals, this will not be an error, provided that the text is easy to read and does not allow double interpretation.

When is a work book invalid?

The following situations may be grounds for declaring this document invalid::

• The employee's last name, first name or patronymic is incorrectly indicated in the book. In this case, the error may consist of just one letter - if the data in the book does not match the passport, the document is invalid.
• On the title page of the document there is no seal of the organization or signature of the person who was authorized to fill out the book.
• The work book contains an incorrect date of completion (for example, earlier than the document form itself was issued). This is often done to increase the employee's length of service.

Employers should remember that refusing to employ a citizen due to the invalidity of his work book is illegal.
Based on a written application from an employee, the employer can also issue him a new employment record, but records from previous places of work will not be included in it.

Acceptable errors

Some technical defects when filling out a certificate of incapacity for work are allowed, provided that all other information is entered correctly. These include:

• incorrect sequence of data in the address of the medical institution;
• letters slightly extend beyond the boundaries of the cells;
• filling out the form in capital letters;
• extra spaces between the doctor's initials;
• minor blots that do not affect the overall understanding of what is written;
• a combination of handwritten and computer filling.

According to the FSS Letter, all these errors are of a technical nature and are not grounds for re-issuing sick leave or refusing to pay for it. The only condition is that all information must be read.

Since the list is not exhaustive, disputes often arise between the employer and the Social Insurance Fund regarding sick leave payment. Sometimes it goes to court.

To save time, you can send a copy of the document to the local FSS unit in advance and check with its employees whether they will accept sick leave with specific shortcomings. In some cases, it is easier to ask an employee to take a duplicate than to seek compensation for payments made from the Social Insurance Fund through the court.

Error on the part of the medical institution

Certain specifics exist when errors are detected that were made while filling out a document by a doctor. Since most of the sick leave involves the entry of data by a health care worker, errors or inaccuracies may accidentally occur. It should be said right away that their correction is unacceptable, neither by the employer nor by the employees of the medical institution.

Only FSS employees also have the right to evaluate the correctness of filling out the data - if they consider the error unacceptable, they can return the document.

Only after this, the accounting department of the enterprise or its manager can send the employee to a medical institution to obtain a new document.

Registration of a duplicate is the only way to correct an error made by a physician. In this case, the old sheet is declared invalid and canceled, and the employee must be issued the same new one, but without errors.

It is also worth considering that not all errors are significant and may serve as grounds for refusal to pay compensation to the employee. For example, these include:

• indicating the date of sick leave in Roman numerals (instead of Arabic);
• absence of a doctor’s position in one of the lines (if sick leave is extended several times);
• indication of an incorrect disease code;
• absence of a doctor’s signature (if not one sick leave certificate is issued, but several at once);
• partial discrepancy between the name of the clinic, which is indicated on the sheet, and what is contained on the seal (for example, the absence of quotation marks or the presence of abbreviations).

In any case, it is worth checking with the regional FSS body in advance which specific shortcomings will be considered significant. Sometimes such disputes are resolved in court, and practice shows that the Social Insurance Fund in many cases is still forced to pay for sick leave.

At the same time, recovery of its amount from a medical institution is not always possible - often the courts also refuse to satisfy this requirement. The only exception is doubt about the authenticity of the document.

Is sick leave paid during vacation? This is a question that worries many workers. Did you get sick during your probation period? No problem! Find out more about your rights by reading this article.

All information about paying sick leave on weekends can be found by following the link.

Mistakes made by the doctor

According to the law, no errors or corrections in the part filled out by the medical institution are allowed. Previously, it was allowed to confirm changes with an additional record certified by the signature and seal of the responsible person, so some doctors still make corrections.

However, now a certificate of incapacity for work incorrectly filled out by a medical institution is considered invalid, and a duplicate is issued instead. All data in it must be similar to the original document (except for those that led to the replacement), the only difference is a mark in the appropriate field indicating the re-issuance of sick leave.

Duplicate

The employee has the right to demand that instead of a work book that contains a record discrediting him, he is given a duplicate. In this case, the employer must take on all costs and worries when restoring the document. To do this, the affected employee must write a written statement indicating the reasons for issuing a duplicate.

If an employee is fired illegally and has already had an entry made in his work book, he has the right to challenge it. Based on the court decision, he should be reinstated at work. This must be accompanied by an order in which the affected employee must sign.

Issuance of a duplicate sick leave certificate

Expert opinion

Gusev Pavel Petrovich

Lawyer with 8 years of experience. Specialization: family law. Has experience in defense in court.

According to the rules, a duplicate is issued in cases where a mistake was made by a health worker or when the employer made more than two corrections. Typically, a duplicate sick note is issued immediately if an inaccuracy is discovered.

However, sometimes incorrect data goes unnoticed and is found out only when a certificate of incapacity for work is provided to the employer or when sick leave is presented to the Social Insurance Fund.

In this case, the employee must contact the medical institution that issued the sick leave and ask for a duplicate. However, the law does not establish within what time frame this must be done.

It is clear that it is better to replace an incorrectly completed document as soon as possible. But if for some reason this cannot be done immediately (for example, the document was issued in another city), the issuance of a duplicate long after the original document is not a basis for refusal to make payments on it, including from the Social Insurance Fund.

There are certain requirements for the preparation of legal documents that must be taken into account when filling them out. Also, special regulations describe how a doctor or an accounting employee should act when certain errors are detected.

In this article, we will look at what errors are found on a sick leave certificate: gross and insignificant, how to edit them correctly, and when a duplicate document is required.

Primary accounting documents

Part 7 of Article 9 of the Federal Law of December 6, 2011 No. 402-FZ “On Accounting” allows for corrections in primary accounting documents with the proviso: “unless otherwise established by federal laws or regulatory legal acts of state accounting regulatory bodies.”

Which primary documents are not corrected?

First, let's figure out which primary documents cannot be corrected.

Firstly, cash documents - incoming and outgoing cash orders are not subject to correction (clause 4.1, clause 4.7 of Bank of Russia Directive No. 3210-U dated March 11, 2014 “On the procedure for conducting cash transactions by legal entities and the simplified procedure for conducting cash transactions by individual entrepreneurs and small businesses"). Other documents created in the process of conducting cash transactions (for example, a cash book) can be corrected.

In addition to cash orders, it is unacceptable to correct strict reporting forms. Clause 10 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated May 6, 2008 No. 359 “On the procedure for making cash payments and (or) payments using payment cards without the use of cash register equipment” states: the document form must be filled out clearly and legibly, corrections are not allowed. A damaged or incorrectly filled out BSO is crossed out and attached to the document form book for the day on which they were filled out.

Finally, errors are not allowed in banking documents (clause 16 of the Regulations on accounting and financial reporting in the Russian Federation, approved by Order of the Ministry of Finance of Russia dated July 29, 1998 No. 34n). Thus, the bank will perceive a correction in a payment order as a violation of the integrity of the order to transfer funds. An order with such a defect is not subject to execution (clauses 2.1.–2.4 of the Regulations on the rules for the transfer of funds, approved by the Bank of Russia on June 19, 2012 No. 383-P).

Requirements for issuing a certificate of incapacity for work

To enter data on the certificate of incapacity for work, it is advisable to use a gel, capillary or black ink pen. This will allow devices to scan text more efficiently during the data digitization process. It is better to write the name of the organization where the employee works, as well as the medical institution that issued the certificate of temporary incapacity for work, in large capital letters. This will make it easier for other people to understand what you have written. You need to start filling out the column from the first cell. You cannot skip one or more cells or make digressions. All information contained in the columns of the patient’s temporary disability sheet must be entered exclusively in Cyrillic. The use of the Latin alphabet, additional symbols or signs is not permitted. The name of the company on the temporary disability certificate must match its legal name, which is used in official correspondence. It is allowed to use generally accepted abbreviations for the form of ownership of enterprises. For example, LLC (Limited Liability Company), PJSC (public joint-stock company) or NAO (non-public joint-stock company). The patient's name must match the passport details. Therefore, when filling out a certificate of incapacity for work, the doctor has the right to request documents that confirm the person’s identity. It is important to correctly calculate the time when an employee is on sick leave. It is necessary to take into account both the opening day and the closing day of the document. The column “Start work” indicates the next calendar, not working day, after the closure of the temporary disability certificate. For example, if a document closes on Friday, June 14, then the employee must start work on Saturday, June 15, and not on the following Monday. If the certificate of temporary incapacity for work is extended for a period of more than 10-14 days, then the document must bear the signature and seal of the deputy chief physician for temporary incapacity for work. You cannot go beyond the appropriate column of the sick leave sheet, where you need to enter the name of the employing company. It is also prohibited to use a black ballpoint pen to fill out the document.

If the sick leave certificate was filled out in violation of these rules, then this is a significant reason for the cancellation of the entire document. If errors are discovered, the document is often returned so that the doctor or accounting employee can correct them or issue a new document.

The most common mistakes in sick leave

Every day, the Social Insurance Fund discovers dozens of errors in submitted temporary disability certificates, which leads to the document being returned for revision.

According to their 2021 report, the most common errors encountered when filling out the document are:

Incorrectly spelled employee name. Errors when abbreviating the name of the medical institution or organization where the person works. Incorrect information regarding the amount of insurance coverage or average salary for the last two years. The date of issue of the sick leave certificate does not correspond to the date of discharge of the patient from the hospital. Incorrectly indicated days of incapacity for work or the day on which the employee must start work (this is especially common when issuing documents to pregnant women). In case of long-term illness, the document was extended personally by the attending physician, and not by the commission of the medical institution on temporary disability. The sick leave certificate was issued by an institution that had not received a license from the Ministry of Health to conduct examinations of temporary disability of citizens.

All errors are usually divided into significant (they can affect the payment decision-making process) and minor (they do not affect it). However, in recent years the Supreme Court has made several decisions that have made this section much more liberal.

Basic mistakes

Errors in work books are made quite often. The main reason for this is inattention or lack of basic knowledge. A typical mistake made by HR workers is filling out the title page. An incorrect letter in a surname or an incorrect spelling of a name or a typo in the date of birth will result in the document becoming invalid. If an error is made during the initial filling, the form must be replaced with a new one. In the case where a typo occurred due to the fault of the organization’s employees, the employee does not have to pay for the form; the employer does this at his own expense.

If an error in the title page is found in a work book that already contains records of hiring and dismissal, it can be corrected.

Correction of last name, first name, patronymic and date of birth

If an error is made in the employee’s personal data, it can be corrected on the basis of a passport or other supporting documents. After the employee provides them, the HR employee carefully crosses out the incorrect information with one straight line and writes the correct information next to it. It is imperative to make a link to the document that is the basis for the adjustments. Its details and name are indicated on the back of the cover and certified by the signature of the responsible person and the seal of the organization. The same applies to changing your surname due to marriage or divorce.

There are often cases when the name or patronymic of the owner of the work book is written incorrectly. Even one wrong letter can cause a huge number of problems when applying for a pension. An incorrect date of birth must also be corrected. The adjustment procedure in such cases does not have a clear algorithm; each situation is considered individually.

If an inaccuracy is made when filling out the work book for the first time, the document is considered invalid and must be replaced at the employer’s expense.

If the work book is almost completely filled out, you can go to court to get a decision that the work book belongs to a specific person.

Some employers correct this data in the same way as the last name, making a link to the document on the back cover. Then the phrase: “Believe the corrected person” is written, an authorized person signs next to it and puts the seal of the organization. If corrections are made in an arbitrary manner, such a document will raise questions in the Pension Fund.

Adjustment of education and specialty

The personnel officer must know whether corrections in the work book are allowed and according to what requirements they must be carried out. Sometimes the line where education is entered contains inaccurate data. This is due to the fact that at the time of opening the work book the employee had an incomplete higher education. Sometimes the person responsible for maintaining work records forgets that it is necessary to update the information. Therefore, an adjustment must be made based on a diploma or other document. The same applies to specialty, qualification and rank. HR employees must remember that in this case they are not making changes, but additions.

Another reason why a work book may be invalidated is illegible entries on the title page. All this information must be written clearly and understandably.

Sometimes, when filling out a work book, a HR employee forgets to put a stamp. This is considered a gross violation of the rules. To correct this situation, the employee must contact the organization that issued the work book. The seal must be in the designated place and not overlap the entries and signature.

All references on the back cover must be certified by the signature of the head and the seal of the organization. Otherwise, the correction will not have legal effect.

Correcting job information

Often, a large number of errors that are made when filling out work books occur in the “Work Information” section. This section is one of the main ones reflecting work activity. Every inaccurate or erroneous entry must be corrected in a timely manner so that you do not have to face difficulties when applying for a pension.

The procedure for correcting entries in this section is established by law. If an error is discovered at a new place of work, the employee can contact the previous employer to correct it. If for some reason this cannot be done, the authorized person has the right to correct the entry on the basis of a supporting document.

Changes can be made on the basis of witness testimony only if there has been a massive loss of documents by the employer due to force majeure, which is documented.

When making adjustments to job information, the entry cannot be crossed out. The correct information is entered on a separate line.

1. The first column contains a sequential number, the second column indicates the date of correction.
2. In the third column, you must write that the entry under such and such a number is considered invalid, and also indicate the correct information.
3. In the fourth column, you need to make a link to the document that confirms the legality of the adjustments, record its name and details.

Sometimes there is an error such as writing the name of the organization and position on one line. Since the information itself does not contradict reality and is documented, no corrections need to be made. But the HR manager should be more careful, since the employee has the right to accuse him of incompetence.

Records of dismissal and transfers may be invalidated. Sometimes, due to inattention, a personnel service employee indicates a reason for dismissal, which is not true and prevents the dismissed employee from finding a new decent job. If the employer refuses to voluntarily make the change, the affected employee may take legal action. Then the organization will have to compensate the employee for each forced absence.

Correction of records of dismissal or transfer is done in the generally accepted manner, the same as when hiring. It is indicated which entry and under what number is invalid, and the details of the document that is the basis for the adjustments are recorded.

How to correctly correct an error on a certificate of incapacity for work?

There is a rule when errors in the certificate of incapacity for work must be corrected by the one who made them. This means that the employer can make changes only in the second part of the document, and the doctor can only make changes in the first.

At the same time, previously it was impossible to make corrections using correction products that are sold in office supply stores. This automatically made the entire document invalid and required filling out a new sick leave certificate.

The previously mentioned letter from the FSS regulates how to correctly make corrections in the paper version of the certificate of incapacity for work. After discovering an error, an accounting employee must cross out the incorrect information in the document.

Then, at the bottom of the back of the sick leave sheet, he writes the correct information along with the name of the misspelled line. Below is the inscription “Corrected to believe” and the date of the changes, the signature of the chief accountant and the company seal are placed.

Let's give a simple example. When filling out the document in the accounting department, the insurance period was incorrectly indicated. Then the specified information on the back side is carefully crossed out with a black pen, and on the back side a note is made: “Insurance experience - 5 years and 7 months.

Believe the corrected one. 07/15/2019.

Romanov R.R. Signature of the chief accountant.

Company's stamp".

Correcting errors in the electronic version of a document is much easier. In the personal account in the Social Insurance system, the doctor or accountant retains access to issued sick leave. Therefore, he can enter edit mode and change the incorrect information. After this, the changes are saved on the Social Insurance Fund server.

Last modified: January 2021

Errors made in the bulletin may result in the sick employee being deprived of the opportunity to spend paid time without performing work duties. An enterprise or entrepreneur may refuse to accept a document for payment and will be right.

Not all corrections on sick leave are permitted at the legislative level. How to distinguish minor defects that can be ignored, inaccuracies that can be corrected, and errors that require document replacement from each other?

General rules

Is it possible to make corrections in a work book?

If an inaccuracy was made during the registration of a new work book, the form must be destroyed .

In return, the personnel officer takes a new , blank form and enters information there from the very beginning.

If the new employer discovers that there is an incorrect entry in the book, but it was not made by him, but by someone earlier, the responsibility for correcting it falls on his shoulders.

However, he has the right to make corrections only if the employee brings him confirming the true information. Based on them, corrections are made.

Inaccuracies in the main sections of the work book cannot be crossed out and, moreover, covered up with a proofreading touch . Under the incorrect entry, you need to place a new one, stating that the previous information is invalid. After this, the recording is made again, but without errors.

It is assigned a different number (in order of priority). On the title page, unlike pages with sections, you are allowed to strike out words . The correct ones are written right there, stamped , and the employer certifies the correction.

Corrections made
must be written down with a ballpoint pen. You can also use gel or feather. The paste in the pen must be waterproof and lightfast. Purple, dark blue, and black colors are allowed. No abbreviations .
And now in more detail and with examples about all possible corrections.

Error classification

The requirements for issuing certificates of incapacity for work, introduced by Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development No. 624n dated June 26, 2011, despite the statute of limitations, leave relevant questions: how to correct a sick leave certificate, when is the document subject to correction and when does it require replacement? The need for electronic reading of the document introduced a number of absurd points, which the social insurance fund agreed with, explaining the unnecessaryness of the employer correcting a number of purely technical defects in the sick leave certificate that do not distort the information and have no semantic meaning.

In accordance with the letter of the Social Insurance Fund No. 10-09/10/7103 dated March 26, 2013, the following are not classified as errors and do not require correction on the certificate of incapacity for work:

fields filled with capital letters; indication of the abbreviated name of the legal entity or individual - employer instead of the full name; adding extra characters such as periods, quotes, hyphens; lack of doctor specialization; letters leaving the cells; leaving spaces between the initials of the health worker; the press of a medical institution goes beyond the territory of the information field; entering the address of the medical institution not in the required order; the presence of empty cells without dashes.

How can an employer correct an error on a sick leave certificate?

The employer fills out a relatively small part of the form, but is forced to bear sole responsibility for mistakes made by both parties. Is it possible to correct a sick leave certificate at a clinic? No, just get a duplicate, but first make a verdict that the sick leave certificate is damaged and cannot be restored.

Errors and inaccuracies introduced by the employer are corrected according to the standard scheme. For example, how to correct length of service on a sick leave certificate, the sample includes step-by-step implementation of the following steps:

1. Use a black, fountain or helium pen to make a horizontal line, crossing out the erroneously filled field completely, including empty cells.
2. On the back of the form, in the empty space provided, is written:

In the “Insurance Experience” column, correct the entry to 10 years 5 months

1. The following conditional line contains the following inscription:

1. This is followed by the signatures of the director, chief accountant and seal. In a specific situation, it is advisable to include a representative of the personnel service, since the calculation of length of service is what the personnel officer does on the sick leave:

General Director ________ V.P. Leshtaev

Chief Accountant _________ S.A. Neveleva

HR Department Inspector _________ E.A. Solovyova

There is no need to fill in block letters, since there is no box in the form of cells. Mechanical and arithmetic errors and clerical errors made by the employer are corrected according to the above sample, which is relevant to how to correct the TIN, insurance certificate number, and the amount of accruals.

Typical mistakes are making entries in columns that should remain empty:

“Work start date” is filled in in the only case when the employee is obliged to begin performing work duties under a canceled individual contract, and the insured event occurred before the termination of the agreement; “Incl. non-insurance periods" is filled in when the insured person performs military or alternative service starting from 2007.

It is prohibited to correct any distortions made by the medical institution. If the sick leave indicates the wrong place of work in terms of the form of ownership or there is an inaccuracy in the name, then you should reflect the correct information in your field.

Expert opinion

Gusev Pavel Petrovich

Lawyer with 8 years of experience. Specialization: family law. Has experience in defense in court.

Then, if problems arise during inspections, it is easy to refer to the insignificance of the information entered by the doctor, and not to prove to the inspectors the edit in “inviolable territory.”

• Part-time sick leave: rules for registration and payment

Social insurance justifies its position by the lack of a designated place for making adjustments, which is enough only for the organization.

Uncorrectable errors on sick leave

There are a number of errors that make it possible to recognize a sick leave certificate as spoiled; what should an employer do? In this situation, the medical institution provides for the issuance of a duplicate, where the employee should be sent. The following is considered without the right to correction:

1. Absence of a seal with the inscription: “For certificates of incapacity for work.” If the sick leave document is stamped incorrectly, it does not even require correction, since the error is not considered an error. But the seal must necessarily contain the appropriate inscription, otherwise the medical institution is considered not to have a license to issue ballots.
2. Errors in the patient's personal data. Misprints and typos are considered to be a lack of information, which does not allow the employee to be identified.
3. There is no doctor's signature on the sick leave certificate. Although doctors are issued forms under personal control and can be found by the doctor’s document number, this is not an argument either for the employer or for employees of the social insurance fund.
4. Lack of decision on extension of VC. The attending physician of a polyclinic institution, without a special commission, can issue a document for a period not exceeding 15 days, and a dental technician - 10. Further extension without the participation of a medical qualification commission on its own is prohibited.
5. Incorrect reason for disability code. A document with such an error may result in incorrect calculation of benefits.
6. Filling with a ballpoint pen or ink other than black. An apparent trifle can make the records merge with the protective fibers of the form, which will not provide the technical ability for processing by social insurance employees.

If the doctor refuses to issue a duplicate, economic experts do not recommend paying for the certificate of incapacity for work, since the social insurance fund does not recognize it as valid when checking. This will lead to penalties and refusal of financing.

Corrections in electronic sick leave

Electronic sick leave certificates imply automatic completion based on the information entered into the Social Insurance Unified Information System for each organization paying contributions to the Social Insurance Fund. This system has been in effect since July 1, 2017 and practically eliminates inaccuracies in registration.

When generating an electronic certificate of incapacity for work, the attending physician enters SNILS and other registration information of the patient. If some information does not coincide with the FSS database, then the system simply will not function. A similar situation arises with filling out the “Employer” cell, since almost every organization is registered with the territorial social insurance authorities.

The employing organization calculates temporary disability benefits and sends data on the amounts to be paid to the Social Insurance Fund.

If an inaccuracy is found in the sick leave certificate, it can be eliminated by contacting the technical support service in the personal account of the insured organization or by calling the territorial office of the Social Insurance Fund.