Can I attend a training course whilst signed of sick?

Mummy_to_Lily

Hi

I've had a course booked for sometime, this was paid for by me but refunded by my employer.

I've been on long term sick due to stress caused by workplace bullying etc.

Do you think it would be acceptible to attend the course? I was hoping it could help 'keep my hand in' and help boost my confidence.

Any advice welcome

Thanks

whitegoods_engineer

So too ill to work but happy to goo on a course when it suits you? Hmmmm!

V.Lucky

That's not very helpful or nice whitegoods_engineer.

And now for a proper reply. If you have a sick note I think you will find it prevents you from being on work premises, as you are not insured.

Hope you get the bullying sorted out.

best wishes

cmw1212

Presumably you are hoping to go back to your job at some point and the fact that your employer reimbursed you makes me guess it is relevant to your work. It would probably be worth speaking to somebody at your company though to make sure everything is above board.

sillyvixen

surely if you are signed off - you have no insurance to attend a course, as you would not have insurance to work!!

sillyvixen

sillyvixen wrote: »

surely if you are signed off - you have no insurance to attend a course, as you would not have insurance to work!!

or prehaps i should put it in the terms of if you are signed off sick from work that means you are unfit for work - if your work involves a course this is still work for which you are signed off unfit!!

LittleVoice

Speak to your GP. You may not be fit to go back to work at the moment but attending a training course is not the same thing as being in your normal work environment which seemed to have contributed to your sickness absence.

Clearly the course itself is not being held on company premises so I would believe you will be covered by the insurance that applies to the establishment where the training course is held.

duchy

If there is a possibility that you may be taking the bullying further-attending the course might give your employer the chance to claim "See she wasn't really ill as she went on the course" I'd be very careful.

redbluetwo

And you wonder why this countrys in a mess at the moment!

Zazen999

From a manager's point of view; if you had accused me of bullying and then attended a course, I would think that you could use THAT against me by me not insisting that you don't attend [ie insisting that you attend a course whilst off sick could be interpreted as bullying].

Although if you are on long term sick, and it boosts your confidence enough to get another job [nothing personal, just looking at it from an employer's viewpoint], then it is a small price to pay rather than fund more sick leave for you.

In order that neither of these are taken by the employer; ask HR or your manager for their guidance [email and say that there is a course coming up that you were booked on, do they require you to attend or not; please advise].[/email]

-BA-

OK let's look at this from another angle. Workplace bullying should be taken extremely seriously, managers should not take it as a personal afront of failure on their part (unless they are the bully). The failure comes from not addressing the issue when it does arise. A person signed off sick wishing to seek a gradual return to work should be championed. Workplace stress from bullying is horrific, got that T-shirt. Making the return is a massive decision that is not always, "OK I am fine now and I want to come back." This training course could be tied into a phased return package and I would suggest contacting your HR to clarify this and naturally to question insurance issue. Being signed off sick does not stop you going on the premises. Going on the premises without permission whilst signed off sick would almost certainly be construed as against company sickness policy. Keep HR informed show them you are trying to make moves towards returning to work.