going on holiday whilst on the sick

elantan

hi wonder if anyone can help me ....

very quick run down of the situation .... we booked a holiday to Florida last year after being burgled and generally having a very hard time ( son had been attacked by a gang as well etc) .. since we booked things within our family situation changed culminating in my husband having a mental breakdown... he is on antidepressants and has been signed off of work for the last two months ...

he went to the drs again today ( he goes fortnightly so the dr can keep an eye on him) and he feels the dr is going to give him another sick line ... truth is hubby isnt fully recovered yet .. he still has panic attacks, aggrophobia and severe pains in his head ( just to mention a few things)

anyway .. we go on holiday shortly and i am not aware if he is legally allowed to go on holiday whilst on the sick from work ... does anyone know?

also can he tell the dr he has to go back to work if he isnt ?

Uncertain

There is no hard and fast legal reason why he cannot go on holiday whilst off sick. Nothing says you have to stay in bed or at home. It depends on the type of illness.

However, this is a situation that could easily be misunderstood by his employers.

I would suggest he talks to his doctor. In the circumstances you describe the doctor may well take the view that the holiday would be beneficial. If so I would ask the doctor to write something to this effect on the fit (i.e sick) note.

Also, it is not illegal to ignore a doctor's advice and return to work. However, many firms will have a rule preventing this no doubt arguing that it is an insurance requirement.

Unless the firm insist that the doctor's certifies that he is well enough to return to work (for which the doctor is entitled to charge a fee) then the simple answer is just not to get another fit (sick) note.

elantan

thanks for the help will let hubby know and discuss together what he should think about doing next

apples1

elantan wrote: »

he isnt fully recovered yet .. he still has panic attacks, aggrophobia and severe pains in his head ( just to mention a few things)

Would flying to Florida be a good idea with symptoms like this? If he is not well enough for work how is he going to manage flights, airports and a strange country?

dmg24

apples1 wrote: »

Would flying to Florida be a good idea with symptoms like this? If he is not well enough for work how is he going to manage flights, airports and a strange country?

I agree, I have agoraphobia and cannot imagine anything worse than a long flight in economy.

OP, you will need to make your insurer aware of your husband's condition before travelling.

elantan

apples1 wrote: »

Would flying to Florida be a good idea with symptoms like this? If he is not well enough for work how is he going to manage flights, airports and a strange country?

i agree that is a worry that we both have tbh ... Florida isnt a strange country to us we have been there a few times now ... but we did go to a gig on friday night and the noise and crowds did get him very aggitated ... saturday night we went to the theatre and he was alot worse ... even though the theatre wasnt as noisy or crowded ... i think it was more the fact it was two days in a row that did it

we are going soon but not immediately so i am hoping that he is better before the holiday ( hey he may actually be fit enough to go to work who knows)

elantan

dmg24 wrote: »

I agree, I have agoraphobia and cannot imagine anything worse than a long flight in economy.

OP, you will need to make your insurer aware of your husband's condition before travelling.

would that in anyway null and void the insurance ? he didnt have his breakdown until after the insurance was taken out (quite a bit after )

Savvy_Sue

elantan wrote: »

would that in anyway null and void the insurance ? he didnt have his breakdown until after the insurance was taken out (quite a bit after )

Personally I don't think it should make it void, but it would be better to ask them than risk it, IMO.

Also, he might need to get confirmation that he is not travelling against medical advice.

Had he booked this leave from work before he went sick?

I'm only just back at work after a long spell out, and I'd had to cancel a holiday at the start of my sick leave. I knew I was getting close to being ready to go back, so I re-booked my leave and said that I'd take it as leave, whether or not I was back at work. In the event I'd started working from home (with a suitably worded Fit Note) for 3 weeks before we went, and then I was back in the office after that.

dseventy

Surely if he can go to the cinema, a gig, a holiday in Florida, while being off sick for "agoraphobia" , he is well enough for work?

Is it just me that see's a issue here?

D70

Nicki

dseventy wrote: »

Is it just me that see's a issue here?

D70

Yes.

Severe mental health problems do not have to impact on all parts of a sufferer's life. If OP's husband's medical problems are as posted, then I can completely see that he is not fit for full time work.

Beginning to take part in some social activities which could include both a holiday and a theatre trip will be important in his recovery and will come well before a return to work. Staying confined to the house will only lengthen the illness.

Attitudes like yours are just prejudice and bigotry. Mental ill health is just as debilitating as physical ill health and should be seen as such

dmg24

Nicki wrote: »

Yes.

Severe mental health problems do not have to impact on all parts of a sufferer's life. If OP's husband's medical problems are as posted, then I can completely see that he is not fit for full time work.

Beginning to take part in some social activities which could include both a holiday and a theatre trip will be important in his recovery and will come well before a return to work. Staying confined to the house will only lengthen the illness.

Attitudes like yours are just prejudice and bigotry. Mental ill health is just as debilitating as physical ill health and should be seen as such

That is a very defensive answer to what appears to be a genuine question!

Yes, of course someone with agoraphobia needs to be exposed to social situations as part of their rehab, but a lengthy period on a plane would not be part of such a process. The point of gradual exposure is that you can remove yourself from the situation if you need to, which clearly would not be the case here.

OP, when are you going away?