off with Work stress from one employer

sparkle2607

Can anyone tell me if I am in the wrong being sick from one employer if I work for two employers and the second job is not casusing me the stress.

DCFC79

Im under the impression that if your off with stress with 1 employer then you shouldnt be working for another but im not sure where you stand on the legal point. Im sure this question has been asked before

nicter

Think you would find this would be fraudulent to be off sick from one job and working elsewhere

Emmzi

depends. if the stress is directly related to jon one - no room for debate - then this can be ok. makes SSP a bit messy though.

Savvy_Sue

To a certain extent, it must depend what your Fit Note says, surely?

purplephoenix85

In my last job, I was off work due to stress last winter but my doctor 'actively encouraged' me to carry on with my uni work, hobbies and other interests.

My ex-boss (a bit of a control freak) even phoned my uni and asked if I was attending. I sat through the Spanish Inquisition when I phoned up explaining that I would be off for 2 weeks, had to detail my medication over the phone (drug names, mg strength, daily dosage, etc) and she made it clear that she wasn't happy to be told by the uni that I was still attending. You might have guessed by now that she was the reason why I was stressed...

It's important to get to the root of the stress in the job, else it could continue when you return.

You need to make it clear with your doctor from the start what you can/can't do with the second employer - this is covering your own back - and let your 2nd boss know the situation and doctor's recommendations so they can cover theirs!

HTH

Uncertain

nicter wrote: »

Think you would find this would be fraudulent to be off sick from one job and working elsewhere

No, not so.

It is perfectly possible to be off sick from one job and not the other as long as there is a good reason.

A simpler example would be somebody with two part time jobs, one manual and the other clerical. There are lots of illnesses / injuries which could make it impossible to do the manual job but not affect the clerical job at all.

These days a doctor issues a "fit not" saying what the person can and cannot do - for example "OK sitting but no standing or lifting". If the manual job can't accommodate this they must treat the person as off sick.

With stress / mental issues it is obviously lees clear cut but it is perfectly possible to have a situation where the cause is in one job only.

Uncertain

bluerose85 wrote: »

My ex-boss (a bit of a control freak) even phoned my uni and asked if I was attending. I sat through the Spanish Inquisition when I phoned up explaining that I would be off for 2 weeks, had to detail my medication over the phone (drug names, mg strength, daily dosage, etc) and she made it clear that she wasn't happy to be told by the uni that I was still attending. You might have guessed by now that she was the reason why I was stressed...

Apart from anything else that is a clear breach of the data protection act on the part of the University.

Your boss has no right to those medical details at all. If they wish, in the case of longer term illness, and you agree they can pay for your doctor to write a report about how your illness may affect your work. However, even then, the doctor has a strict duty to provide the minimum of personal medical information necessary. He will also charge then a couple of hundred pounds!

dmliverpool

Uncertain wrote: »

Apart from anything else that is a clear breach of the data protection act on the part of the University.

Your boss has no right to those medical details at all. If they wish, in the case of longer term illness, and you agree they can pay for your doctor to write a report about how your illness may affect your work. However, even then, the doctor has a strict duty to provide the minimum of personal medical information necessary. He will also charge then a couple of hundred pounds!

I agree, you doctors medical opinion at the early stages of sickness is not needed by your employer. You should consider leaving this job if it is stressful and find another when the problem in these early stages. The reasons employers get difficult with sickness is when there are extended absences or multiple absences. If this is the case then they will want to know more information. They can get you to go to a doctor appointed by them.

I would get another job as your health is much more important than work or money. I would see a doctor and check your not depressed and if you are get some help for it to stop it happening in another job.:D

Hammyman

sparkle2607 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if I am in the wrong being sick from one employer if I work for two employers and the second job is not casusing me the stress.

No. It is perfectly OK to work for one whilst being off sick with another. For example, if the workload is ridiculous and causing you stress and being ill at employer no1 but your job at employer no2 is zero stress, something like calling out bingo numbers, then thats fine.

Hammyman

nicter wrote: »

Think you would find this would be fraudulent to be off sick from one job and working elsewhere

Is incorrect. You could have a foot injury that prevents you from doing one job where standing and walking around is required but not from doing a job sitting down for example.