Advise ref:- sick from work

bluepop

I have just put in a sick note for four weeks with anxiety and stress 8/10/12 I have now received a letter from my H.R just over a week into this asking me to attend a occupational health clinic to be assessed. Are they allowed to do this so soon ? and my line manager wants me to contact him weekly for 'communication on when im likely to return' etc? again is this necessary when I have a note that says i'm sick for 4 weeks? Just feeling a bit harassed.

Thanks in advance for your advice

jobbingmusician

I think (but am not sure) that HR are allowed to call you in to see Occupational Health at any time. In a way, they are acting as a GOOD employer - part of what they want to know will be whether your stress is in any way work related, and actually it's good, rather than bad, if they are looking to investigate and address this earlier rather than later.

As for the communication thing, yes I understand it feels harrassing. However, there is research which shows that regular communication from the employer helps the employeee to return to work. I've certainly had the real terrors when I've been off from work for a while - even for a holiday! - and you just DREAD what is facing you on your return. What the research found was that regular communications from work reduced this fear and the stress of going back.

(If you read my posts you'll find I'm not normally on the employer's side, but in this case I think they are acting correctly - although I do also acknowledge that part of the OH assessment will be to assess whether you should be off work or not.)

Uncertain

There is no fixed time limit but I agree it does seem a little premature.

If you feel it would be helpful to your recovery not to be pestered by work I would try and get your doctor "on side" to this point of view.

You may find it helps to be gentry proactive. Perhaps sent them a weekly email update even if it doesn't really say anything useful e.g "I have seen my doctor today and he wants to see me again in two weeks time".

In my experience, if a GP really feels that a patient's work is making them ill there is quite a lot they can do to help. A few carefully chosen words written of a fit / sick note can be very effective. Also, if occupational health want a report from your GP it is amazing how long they can make that process take if they have a mind to.......

Uncertain

jobbingmusician wrote: »

- although I do also acknowledge that part of the OH assessment will be to assess whether you should be off work or not.)

Strictly speaking no.

It is OH's function to advise the employer how the person's illness may affect their work, Whether any reasonable adjustments are necessary, the likely timescale before they return or indeed if a return is likely at all. It is not their job offer treatment or in any way attempt to overrule those that are treating the patient.

Apart from anything else OH do not have access to the person's full medical history. Even if they request a report from the GP or consultant (only with the patient's permission) the doctor should still only provide the minimum necessary medical information for OH to do their job.

Two GPs I knew well got very cross indeed when OH departments tried to overstep their function, particularly if they were only staffed by nurses or other "healthcare professionals"!

KiKi

Four weeks is considered long term sick in many organisations. That's a twelfth of the year off work. I don't think it's premature to start talking about how they can help.

If you had a broken shoulder with a definitive statement of 'needs 3 weeks to recover, but barring complications will be back by 2nd November ' then I'd probably leave it. But 'anxiety and stress' could go on for a long time, and should be supported as early as possible. They probably wrote to you a week in as they know it will take time to arrange, and by the time you see them it will be 3/4 weeks. And they probably want to know what they can do to help you get back to work, or if they need to make any adjustments once you go back once your 4 weeks is up. Plus, if work is a cause, they need to nip it in the bud sooner rather than later.

I know it's hard, but try and see it as a positive rather than them having a go at you. What you see as harassment is seen as good practice by others.

Uncertain

KiKi wrote: »

Four weeks is considered long term sick in many organisations. That's a twelfth of the year off work. I don't think it's premature to start talking about how they can help.

If you had a broken shoulder with a definitive statement of 'needs 3 weeks to recover, but barring complications will be back by 2nd November ' then I'd probably leave it. But 'anxiety and stress' could go on for a long time, and should be supported as early as possible. They probably wrote to you a week in as they know it will take time to arrange, and by the time you see them it will be 3/4 weeks. And they probably want to know what they can do to help you get back to work, or if they need to make any adjustments once you go back once your 4 weeks is up. Plus, if work is a cause, they need to nip it in the bud sooner rather than later.

I know it's hard, but try and see it as a positive rather than them having a go at you. What you see as harassment is seen as good practice by others.

That level of spin is worthy of Alastair Campbell!

Maybe I'm just cynical but personally I would count my fingers after shaking hands with anybody who works in HR! :rotfl:

KiKi

Uncertain wrote: »

That level of spin is worthy of Alastair Campbell!

Maybe I'm just cynical but personally I would count my fingers after shaking hands with anybody who works in HR!

Not at all. It's just reflective of your own experiences, and of mine.

My experience of HR and OH has always been positive - but then I've mainly worked in organisations where HR is a partner to the business. It's not very often I've worked with HR people who are just transactional 'policy and procedure' people who have the attitude that 'HR are only here to keep the business out of court' - and if I do come across them I try and persuade them otherwise! That approach does absolutely nothing to further HR's reputation, unfortunately, and certainly doesn't improve an organisation or its people.

And yes, I'm in HR - but I work on the 'development' side of HR (leadership and talent development mainly); I'm not a generalist or ER person. I work with some excellent people. Shame you haven't come across them, but that's the good thing about having different views on this board, I suppose.

KiKi
p.s. I definitely wouldn't want your fingers. No offence or anything.

bluenoseam

The occ health thing is so that they have a straight up view of what's going on as relevant to your job, seems a bit quick to have it but I guess it's all a case of individuality!

As for the communication, that I fully agree with them on, I know I was supposed to "get in touch" on a weekly basis as per my contract with work when I was off ill! Luckily my manager was understanding of the situation, not to mention he knew when treatment was starting & finishing - but that was for something "finite". Stress/anxiety on the other hand is not "finite", they don't have a date where things will get better (same as you) but they still have business needs that have to be met. This is more than anything else to allow you to say to them you don't foresee yourself being back at work next week allowing them to have your shifts covered.

bluepop

Thank you all for taking time to respond.

Basically I've had 12mths of what I can only describe as persecution, and i've now gone sick just to give me a bit of breathing space so I can go to citizens advise and see if I have a strong enough case for constructive dismissal. I'm not saying that I wont go to OH but just feel it a bit soon and see it as more pressure for me to cope with. I have taken my letter to my docs and will be going back today to see if he will help me to ask them to back off a little. I rang my line manager yesterday and it was like 20 questions which now makes me feel nervous to want to call him back. H.R I feel are there for the company and not the employees. .also they are only paying me ssp which wont even cover my mortgage due to the fact they gave me a letter of concern about my capability, I've been with them 20 years and feel distraught it has come to this.