Home visit for sickness but not been off long?

MollyCoddle1

Hi everyone,

I hope someone can help.

I have been off work since 26th July due to Bronchitis (Had to phone in sick that week due to Fever and Bronchitis but then explained to my GP exactly how i had been feeling and he confirmed i was suffering from Depression) and work related stress and anxiety. (My supervisor has been treating me awfully, shouting at me in front of colleagues, etc)

I have today received a letter for a home visit for the 26th Aug, this is a day after my sicknote runs out which i find odd.

I haven't even been off work that long for them wanting to do a home visit and now this has added further stress.

Is this normal? Can they request a home visit if i've been off less than a month?

With regards

Molly

ceridwen

Someone else will know better than me whether they can visit you like this.

However - if it turns out that they can - then you could suggest meeting them in a more "neutral" venue - rather than feeling "hounded in your own home". Perhaps also you could suggest coming in to visit them at work.

I can't see how they could complain about not being allowed to visit you at home - as long as they actually saw you in person.

Googlewhacker

ceridwen wrote: »

Someone else will know better than me whether they can visit you like this.

However - if it turns out that they can - then you could suggest meeting them in a more "neutral" venue - rather than feeling "hounded in your own home". Perhaps also you could suggest coming in to visit them at work.

I can't see how they could complain about not being allowed to visit you at home - as long as they actually saw you in person.

Agree with the above but as it is not a disciplinary there is nothing to stop you having a relative with you during the meeting.

If it is a standard procedure for the company to visit long term sick after 1 month then they could be looking to see if there are any adjustments they can make to help you back into work.

Also you will have been of for more than 1 month so that is reasonable when they come to visit but if they had waited until you got another sick note for another month of then by the time they get things sorted to come visit this could be 6 weeks so they are only just be on the ball.

ceridwen

That is a good suggestion - to have someone with you if you see them.

I'm not sure what the position would be re taking in someone else to your workplace with you - but they could hardly stop you having a friend/relative with you if you met at a neutral venue or your home.

So - maybe your best bet is to meet them okay - in a neutral venue (coffeebar perhaps?) and with someone with you.

They won't want to "come over strong" in a neutral venue in front of other people and its not possible to stay sitting at a table in a coffeebar for that long (as other customers will want the seats).

MollyCoddle1

Thank you for replying. I just feel as though i would be 'bullied' by them again and just thinking about it is stressing me out. I've just checked my contract and there is no mention of home visits on there. To be honest i don't even think they would make any adjustments to help me back into work, i feel they just want to check to see if i really am ill, etc.

Molly

MollyCoddle1

Judas - No, i haven't spoke to my Supervisor since i called in sick on the first week i was off so have not given them any reason to think i would be off longer.

Ceridwen - Yeah i think i should have someone present with me.

Molly

Roobarb_73

I don't think there's anything wrong with them wanting to have a welfare meeting with you - unless though there is something in their T&Cs that says they will do a home visit I don't think they can insist on it being there though.

To be fair to the employer though, it's reasonable for them to try and do what they can to plan for either your return/ongoing absence - and if you're off with a work related stress matter, they maybe feel it would be inappropriate to meet at work? Sounds like they're damned if they do and damned if they don't, frankly.

It sounds like it would be worth meeting them - if you don't tell them what is wrong and give them the chance to sort it out, what can they do? It's not really feasible that you can just stay off sick indefinitely and expect no contact from them.

SarEl

You do not have to agree to a home visit, but refusing to meet with them would be foolish as they do have a right to ask for one. The advice about having someone with you is sound - it is easier to do this on your own turf than theirs. I am a little surprised that you have not had any contact with them except for the first week however - although it is not required in law, many employers would have asked (and have policy requiring you to) contact them a bit more frequently during a period of sickness absence.

Stress is a medical diagnosis ( not a terribly good one, but it is one) - work-related stress is not a medical diagnosis. Your doctor cannot say it is work-related based on anything more than your word for it. So it is an opinion based on one side of the story. This is important. You need to argue to your employers a case of bullying and /or harassment if that is what you allege is happening, citing incidents and witnesses in as much detail as possible, and explain how this is affecting your health. If there are any legal grounds for a case, should it get that far, it will be based on evidence, not on a medical opinion.

Vader123

Employers have responsibilities to act in the best interest of their employees and keep the communications open.

Indeed I have had worked with companies were employees have filed grievances because the company did not "keep in touch" while they were on sick leave.

A responsible employer will want to meet you and see how you are doing. They may need to backfill your position and they cannot work out how long you are likely to be off and your plans without seeing and speaking to you.

By all means ask for a neutral venue and have someone with you, but the employer is obliged to have contact.

What if something has happened at work? Like a re-structure? Loss of a big contract? You need to know these things.

Vader

MyRubyRed

MollyCoddle1 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I hope someone can help.

I have been off work since 26th July due to Bronchitis (Had to phone in sick that week due to Fever and Bronchitis but then explained to my GP exactly how i had been feeling and he confirmed i was suffering from Depression) and work related stress and anxiety. (My supervisor has been treating me awfully, shouting at me in front of colleagues, etc)

I have today received a letter for a home visit for the 26th Aug, this is a day after my sicknote runs out which i find odd.

I haven't even been off work that long for them wanting to do a home visit and now this has added further stress.

Is this normal? Can they request a home visit if i've been off less than a month?

With regards

Molly

Molly, you say you went off sick but your GP has diagnosed depression so assume that is what has gone on your FIT note?

elsien

Our company policy is to contact people to arrange a visit if they've been off sick for longer than a month, and if they're planning to visit on 26th August, then you will have been off for long enough to warrant the visit. They've written to arrange it a bit earlier than I would have done, so maybe why that's worried you a bit, but it doesn't mean they don't believe you or are trying to catch you out.
If your GP put work related stress on your sick note then the company has an obligation to look into it and try to address any issues, which is another reason for them needing to see you if you may be off for a bit longer.
Try not to worry.