30-06-2025
The Indo Daily: Investigation – sick certs over WhatsApp that are 'open to exploitation'
A quick visit to your GP should do the trick, leaving you with the vital document to present to your boss. Job done, back to bed, get well soon.
However, recent years have seen a new method emerge, with numerous online outlets providing a digital version of the all-important medical certificate - without the need for rudimentary practices like an in-person consultation.
The Department of Social Protection doesn't approve of such methods, but your employer has little choice but to go along with it.
A new investigation by the Irish Independent explores the process of applying for a digital sick cert, the pros and cons of taking this approach and the potential risks and exploitation in play.
On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent multimedia reporters Darragh Nolan and Maeve McTaggart, and by social affairs correspondent with the Irish Independent Amy Molloy, to break down their examination of an increasingly popular digital system.
