Off sick - Feel like I am being harrassed....

Phoebe-

Deleted.
Deleted.

mynameistallulah

Look at it from their point of view, you have been off work for nine months, and have now been signed off for another two. There has to be a point where they will start to push you, and with most employers it would have been months ago.

The OT you refer to would actually be Occupational Health, and it is quite normal for you to see a nurse in such circumstances.

What do you want them to do, keeping in mind that you are lucky still to have a job? Have you asked about emailing them weekly rather than calling?

getmore4less

I don't understand why you are missing calls from work?
Where are you when they call?


IMO You do not need to make contact every week.

once per signed off period near the end should be enough to update of a likely return to work or further fit notes.


if they continue to insist give them a fixed time and date when you will be available for them to call you and make sure someone picks up.

Tiddlywinks

What is the prognosis? When does your doctor feel you might be ready to return to work?

You cannot expect the company to wait forever. I am not trying to be thoughtless as I do know how bad CFS can get, however, the business cannot be expected to keep your position open for very much longer.

If there is any other underlying reason for you not being able to face work, such as not being able to cope with your line manager, then you must talk to HR about it and they may be able to offer alternatives.

CFS is a long term condition and if you cannnot see a point in the near future where you can return to work then you must face this fact because not dealing with it will be causing you stess anyway.

Could you go part time for a while to test the waters? How about trying a staged return to work?

You need to go to the meeting with an idea of what you will be able to achieve in the short term.

ILW

Are they still paying you?

Phoebe-

No. That stopped months ago

Phoebe-

The point is I DO want to go back to work. But even the last meeting I had - it took TWO months to arrange that for me to discuss the issues I had, cos they would cancel right at the last minute, like 30 mins before they were due to arrive.

They said (over a month ago) they will organise another meeting to talk about how we can get me back to work, but so far we're just "waiting to see" like nothing is activley being done, other than these phonecalls which as I said, I'm finding are hindering my progress rather than helping it.

getmore4less

Phoebe- wrote: »

I miss the calls if there's a loss of signal (happens to my phone a lot), resting, driving or seeing a family friend, with my counsellor, with my support group...

I know they have to like be aware of what's going on with me etc, I fully appreciate that. However I was signed off to begin with BECAUSE of what they were doing.

So these phonecalls are just stressing me out more. And with regards to me being lucky to still have a job - they have said themselves they can't fire me until October when I would have been off for 12 months.

Stop using the mobile for work contact, it is never a good idea to let work have you mobile number.

While off sick, land line only and set times/dates they call you, no unplanned calls

Phoebe-

I don't have a landline number unfortunatley

Phoebe-

But yeah, I do try and set up days/times only so no unplanned calls (cos today's came out of the blue and upset me a bit as have had a v tough few days) but she's always in a meeting, or doing interviews, so it's impossible to pin down a day/time. SHe syas a general day, like I am meant to call again now on Thursday, but if she's away from her desk, she might not call me back until Friday, for example.
When she was on holiday and I went 2 weeks without having to go thru these phone calls I actually started to feel better!

Tiddlywinks

Phoebe- wrote: »

I miss the calls if there's a loss of signal (happens to my phone a lot), resting, driving or seeing a family friend, with my counsellor, with my support group...

Again, not wishing to have a pop as I don't mean it that way but if you have the energy to visit friends, go for a drive, attend support groups etc then might you have the energy to restart work albeit with reduced hours? You not being at home to answer the phone might be setting alarm bells ringing with the company.

Has your mum got a landline that you could give the company? Or perhaps agree a set time on a set day for calling? Or email?

You need to understand that you have a responsibility to the company as well as the other way around - you need to work with them, not against them if you want a positive outcome.