Off work due to stress and no sensible return to work plan

andyhm

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

I agree with Miss H's comments.

OP your wife has been off sick for 5 weeks with stress. You say she would be able to go back on reduced hours with reduced targets, but would find full time too stressful.

Unless something else has been happening, such as bullying or harassment (you haven't suggested this) it seems that it is the actual work that she is contracted to do that is causing her stress. If that is the case, then a phased return and temporarily reduced targets are not going to change this, as she would be expected to work towards full-time working and full targets within a reasonable period.

Sales is a pressurised environment and not everyone is cut out for it. The OT may be able to help if there is a problem that can be rectified which would enable her to return to work and carry out her duties as set out in her contract, but if the bottom line is that it is the job itself that is the problem, there may be little anyone can do in the longer term.

If that is the case, unless she learns to cope with the pressures of the job, sooner or later the likely outcome is that she will be dismissed on capability grounds.

Sorry if this sounds harsh.

Dx

Thanks for your comments.
Yes, you have a point that the high pressure environment may not be one that suits her very well at the moment but it may be possible to learn to cope with the environment better with some help from an OT.

zzzLazyDaisy

andyhm wrote: »

Thanks for your comments.
Yes, you have a point that the high pressure environment may not be one that suits her very well at the moment but it may be possible to learn to cope with the environment better with some help from an OT.

Unfortunately that is not the OT's job.

An OT is there to assist someone who has a medical condition affecting their ability to carry out their duties, but who otherwise is capable of doing their job. It is not their role to support employees who are not capable of coping with the normal demands of the job in the first place.

I have to say that I am concerned that you accept that your wife cannot cope with the stress and pressure of a sales environment but yet you seem to be keen to push her back into the work environment which has made her ill in the first place.

Miss_Havisham

could your wife use her annual leave to "phase" herself back into work, for example taking 2 days a/l per week for a few weeks ? This, coupled with her employer's offer of reduced targets might help.

Miss H