Fractured hand, time off?

Savvy_Sue

So did the hospital strap it at all or give any advice on what she could or couldn't do?

robpw2

she could lose a minimum of £48 a day for everyday she doesnt work , surely if she does clerical work she could use her other hand

prowla

I think she could work, but only one-handed.

I recall a couple of years back, I broke my toe and got to the bottom of the garden path and decided there was no way I would be able to walk to the train station. I dialed in to work and emailed to say what had happened but that I would be fine to work from home... Well, I got a rather stroppy letter from my manager saying that all work from home had to be pre-approved. I replied that next time I would just go sick. I made it in the next day. It wasn't too long in that job before there was another incident with that manager, and I quit. (I wasn't the first!)

snakeoilsaleswoman

The advice she was given was not to take it out of the sling and under no circumstances remove the splint unless she is washing as her X-rays have been referred to someone else to see her fractures are aligned as to whether she needs a cast or she can stay how she is. She does have an occupational health person but they are not always on site. She says she will go in and talk to her manager about it, see if she can get her work changed to something more suited to one hand. Thanks for all your help

Tiddlywinks

snakeoilsaleswoman wrote: »

The advice she was given was not to take it out of the sling and under no circumstances remove the splint unless she is washing as her X-rays have been referred to someone else to see her fractures are aligned as to whether she needs a cast or she can stay how she is. She does have an occupational health person but they are not always on site. She says she will go in and talk to her manager about it, see if she can get her work changed to something more suited to one hand. Thanks for all your help

Um, so can she work and follow medical advice? It doesn't look like she would be able to cover all her duties... she needs a fit note and to take time out.

Bigmoney2

She needs to speak to her employer as she may not be covered by their insurance if she's not fully fit. Occ health are probably the best ones to advise on 'light duties'.

How does she normally get to work, presumably she won't be able to drive with arm in a sling and I would think using public transport would have a risk of further agravating the injury if say the bus moved off suddenly and she knocked the hand.

tyllwyd

If she goes to see her gp, they should be able to give her a fit note (the updated version of the old sick note), and she could discuss with the gp whether the note should recommend any changes to her duties while her hand heals.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Sicknessabsence/DG_187161

bargainbetty

I had this with an employee - she refused to take time off sick, despite clearly being unable to complete her assigned tasks due a wrist injury.

After discussion with the occupational health dept, it was decided that we would be remiss in our duty of care to continue with her on-site until we had received a medical opinion detailing the tasks she would be able to safely undertake - the fit note. I had to walk to her desk, take the file she was holding out of her hands and send her home immediately, with an instruction to obtain the earliest possible appointment for a doctors appointment.

If she exacerbates the injury at work, their insurance might be invalid if she has not obtained this advice. Given a friend of mine broke a wrist and ended up having major reconstruction some eight surgeries later, I would strongly advise she seeks and follows medical advice.