work problems

munchkinangel · 7 July 2017 at 2:34PM

Hello everyone.
I have had some problems at work, which i wont go into and am currently signed off with work related stress. I gave my sick note in and the following day was asked to go into a meeting to discuss next week. I am not up to going anywhere near work so i politely declined but said i would go when i was feeling better. Today i received the news that i will be paid for this week, but for the next 2 it will be SSP. My contract does state that sick pay is discretionary, but it seems that because I am not well enough to attend a meeting when they want they are punishing me by not paying me company sick pay. I understand they do not have to pay me other than SSP, but i do not understand why they are doing this to me, when in the past they have paid me ( i dont have a lot of time off sick btw!). This news has obviously stressed me out even more, and i feel i am being kind of bullied into going back to work or to a meeting before I am ready. Can someone advise me? Thank you

marliepanda · 7 July 2017 at 2:43PM

Discretionary is just that.

Undervalued · 7 July 2017 at 2:59PM

marliepanda wrote: »

Discretionary is just that.

Basically yes. The majority of company sick pay schemes are now discretionary and in all but the most exceptional circumstances there is little you can do if they exercise their discretion in this way.

If your employer is going to be difficult it may be worth getting your doctor to confirm that you are not well enough to attend a meeting. That is not necessarily the same thing as being unfit for work.

At some point, unless you are fit enough to return fairly shortly, you will have to engage with your employer.

munchkinangel · 7 July 2017 at 3:02PM

Undervalued wrote: »

Basically yes. The majority of company sick pay schemes are now discretionary and in all but the most exceptional circumstances there is little you can do if they exercise their discretion in this way.

If your employer is going to be difficult it may be worth getting your doctor to confirm that you are not well enough to attend a meeting. That is not necessarily the same thing as being unfit for work.

At some point, unless you are fit enough to return fairly shortly, you will have to engage with your employer.

Thank you. I intend to engage with them, but am not ready yet. I have not been off a week and they are already pushing for a meeting. I understand they want to meet with me to discuss how to make things better, but i cannot face it yet.

polgara · 7 July 2017 at 3:25PM

If you are citing work related stress then any good management would want to know what can be done to mitigate the issue. By not agreeing to a meeting they seem to have taken the view that you are not engaging. Maybe if you suggested a time/venue when you would be comfortable discussing then this would be seen that you are trying to improve the situation? How long was the sick note for?

munchkinangel · 7 July 2017 at 6:57PM

polgara wrote: »

If you are citing work related stress then any good management would want to know what can be done to mitigate the issue. By not agreeing to a meeting they seem to have taken the view that you are not engaging. Maybe if you suggested a time/venue when you would be comfortable discussing then this would be seen that you are trying to improve the situation? How long was the sick note for?

I have said i will go for a meeting, I have not flatly refused. But just not so soon, i do not feel in the right frame of mind and will end up just crying all the way through. My sick note is for 3 weeks.

custardy · 7 July 2017 at 7:01PM

From their side.
You are saying its work related stress. So how do you see the issues being resolved without speaking to them?
IME these types of absences/issues arent really resolved by more time off.

theoretica · 7 July 2017 at 7:22PM

munchkinangel wrote: »

I have said i will go for a meeting, I have not flatly refused. But just not so soon, i do not feel in the right frame of mind and will end up just crying all the way through. My sick note is for 3 weeks.

From experience, crying through a meeting might just get the point across...

sangie595 · 7 July 2017 at 7:25PM

munchkinangel wrote: »

I have said i will go for a meeting, I have not flatly refused. But just not so soon, i do not feel in the right frame of mind and will end up just crying all the way through. My sick note is for 3 weeks.

Unless you get a fit note saying you cannot meet with the employer and there should be no contact, then it isn't up to you to decide when a meeting happens. And if you get one of those then there are other risks - the employer cannot consider your situation if you won't talk to them.

Past that, as others have said, it's discretionary and they've decided not to pay occupational sick pay, so SSP is all there is.

ohreally · 7 July 2017 at 8:00PM

Can you face a meeting at a neutral venue, or was that offered?

PeppaCoin · 7 July 2017 at 9:41PM

You really do need to attend their meeting. Its a requirement from them that you do. They wouldn't be doing their job properly if they weren't looking to investigate the stress, particularly as it is work related.

Attend on neutral ground, ask for it outside of work hours, or ask for a home visit? If you do end up crying through the meeting, that's ok as thats your reality at the minute.

Good luck

work problems

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