Job advice please

donny_osmonds_mad_fan

hi, just wondering if anyone works in HR or knows a bit about people being off work long term sick.

I have been off work since october, during that time the company i worked for have transfered us to another company, job terms etc all the same however despite me sending in regular doctors notes etc they want me to keep coming in to see them for meetings about my sickness etc.

They said if i couldnt come to them they would come to me, my question is do u have to do this when you are signed off? what happens if you refuse? can u do it over the phone?

I have an injury to my coccyx, and driving/sitting in the car causes me to be in a lot of pain, especially as work is 40 mins drive each way, and working at the airport i have to pay quite high car park fees each time.

The final annoyance was they sent me two letters the same day, from the same person saying one day i have to go see the company doctor and the next have an appt with them...why cant it be the same day to save a journey etc.

I feel so harrassed by this all, I dont have childcare because as far as I am concerned my current note runs till the 8th may anyways so surely I have no obligation to go into work and to be honest I dont want my manager and the HRgirl round my house, its my home i dont want to be dealing with work here.

also I keep trying to ring the union about this but she never rings me back however we were for the previous employers contracted to work 4 on 2 off, 4 hours 15 mins a day, works out 22 hours per week , contract says 22 hours.

New company wants us to do 4.5 hours...I know it is 15 mins but those 15 mins are make or break of me getting to work on time if i have to get my son from school etc, and then every other month or so we have to do 5 hour days....again causing me issues with childcare. When i asked about this they said it is fine as long as they dont exceed the yearly amount of hours u should do as every now and again they give u an extra day off,....however when i ask could i do 2 full days etc per week, that cant possibly happen although in reality it very very easily could.

any advice please before i phone them to tell them NO lol

many thanks

belfastgirl23

For advice on these issues your local citizens advice bureau would be your best bet. But it sounds like you're really not happy at all with your new t&c and it might be worth thinking about either trying to negotiate a redundancy settlement or applying for other jobs?

I do think it's worth trying to see it a bit from your company's point of view too. If you've been off sick then presumably other people are having to cover for you or they're trying to work out how best to cover the work that you would normally do. I suppose what I'm saying is that it's worth thinking about what your obligation to them is as well as your rights from them. I know where I work there is a big knock on effect on other staff if someone is off long-term sick.

Hope it all works out

donny_osmonds_mad_fan

I have told them I am not coming in for the doctors appt or the meeting, just a answer phone and said i will ring them to sort it out next week.

its a large company, lots of people to do the job I do, any uncovered shifts they cover with overtime, someone always wants to do it and they are normally overstaffed so can cope with a few off etc

hobo28

donny_osmonds_mad_fan wrote: »

I have told them I am not coming in for the doctors appt or the meeting, just a answer phone and said i will ring them to sort it out next week.

its a large company, lots of people to do the job I do, any uncovered shifts they cover with overtime, someone always wants to do it and they are normally overstaffed so can cope with a few off etc

It may be a large company but if your off sick then presumably they are still paying you. Even if not and your on SSP, they still are incurring higher costs through having to pay overtime and the extra management time involved in ensuring your job is covered whilst being "held" open for you.

You cannot seriously expect a company to hold your job open indefinately and not even ask when you are coming back.

Personally it sounds to me like your company is being reasonable. Whats stopping you from taking them up on their offer of them coming to meet you?

ckerrd

It is not unreasonable for an employer to ask to have a medical report on someone who is off ill, particularly long term. They will not be trying to catch you out they need to do it for their records. Saying you will not agree to a reasonable request for a meeting may well put you in breach of your terms of employment

kaggy

I'm sorry but I agree with the previous comments. You could leave your job and take them to an ET (Employment Tribunal) for constructive dismissal due to them not contacting you and asking after your welfare! Daft but true, it is also part of their role to ensure that you are OK and to help you get back to work. They have to be able to show this and prove that they have kept in regular contact.

Ultimately they want you back at work as soon as possible and it is your responsibilty to show them that you are doing all that you can to return.

I know that this sounds really harsh and that when you feel awful the last thing that you want to do is go into work but they have offered to come and see you which is very fair. If you don't want them in your house can't you suggest a coffee shop mid way? If someone has asked me that I would have agreed.

Karen

donny_osmonds_mad_fan

I just dont see why it has to be every fortnight...and this is weekly, I was i just last week as I have been trying to figure a way to get back to work, my issue is not that they want a meeting it is that they want constant ones when i am covered with a doctors note. This will be the 3rd one in 4 weeks surely that is verging on being a tad over the top...once a month isnt so bad is it? Or even keeping in touch on the phone but 3 times in 4 weeks, 4 times in 4 weeks if i include the doctors appt 2 of them in 1 week I feel is too much.

At the end of the day it is nothing that cant be said on the phone, too my mind them taking 3 hours which is most likely what it would take for 2 of them to come here have the meeting and back again....3 of them if i asked for a union rep is a waste of company time and effort...lets do it on the phone.

I cant always judge how i will be from one day to the next, even hour to hour some days so no i dont want them coming here if i really am struggling that day to get in and have a shower or even get out of bed etc.

I just feel they are making it as tough as possible, why organise the doctors appt one day and then the meeting the next etc why not the same day for ease, I cant go to work whilst i need my pain relief and my tens machine as it is a safety issue if i got it caught in something at work apparently.

I am keeping in touch with them on the phone etc it isnt like they dont know whats going on...just seems excessive to me.

Emmzi

they are probably working from the research that says the more you keep in touch, the more likely you are to get someone back to work. People not contacted for over 3 months rarely come back.

But if it's easier to do it all on one day, just let them know!

My employer would pay taxis in for people if they were having a 'good' day but had no transport, for a wee chat. Could you suggest that? Might mean you could pick the day a bit easier.

back2square1

Hi I was off work on long term sick a few years ago, I also worked for a very large company. I did not go into work for any meetings I arranged for them to meet me at my Union Rep's house. The meetings were never weekly, more like monthly.

I did leave the company as I was unable to return but I never felt that I was being harrassed. The company could not keep my job open for me forever and I appreciated this.

Now I am better I am now in employment again. The only advice I can give to you is to contact ACAS. They can give you some very helpful advice with any issues relating to work. But it sounds to me your employers are doing everything they should.