Short term sickness at work - advice needed

Wonky_T

Hi everyone - I really hope someone could help here...

I recently had a 2.5 day sick period due to having a kidney infection. Upon my return to work, out of the blue, I was told I'd be taken through an investigatory procedure because I've had three short term absences in the last 12 months.

All three have been genuine medical absences - two for surgery and one because of an accident at work I have medical evidence to prove and they have told me they do not doubt it, but are concerned.

I have read the protocol in place for sickness and there seems to be a limited number of absences you can have within one year - not periods of time, more instances.

I am due to have two pain procedures which require me to take 4 days off each time, just to keep me going. This is to treat a long-term condition; a disability. Having my procedures will take me to my last instance of absence, whereby I am likely to be dismissed for reason of capability and capacity to do the job. These procedures are what keep me going.

I feel as though I have to make a choice between my job and my health. I am worried that I'll have to call my consultant's secretary tomorrow to tell them that I can't have my surgery done because it'll mean I lose my job.

Can anyone advise me in any way? Any advice at all would be very grateful. I feel shellshocked. My health is bad enough without being stressed too

YoungBaker

use your holidays ?

Takeaway_Addict

If it is a disability (and I presume you have informed the employer about this!) then you could (not guaranteed) look at not counting the sick period for anything related to the disability towards the calculations for capability's as a reasonable adjustment.

However, this may not be reasonable to the company.

Really you need to talk to your union if you are in one or get proper advice and talk to your employer with your concerns.

Or as above take it as holiday

Macca83_2

My place of employment works along the same lines. 3 periods of absence and they require you to attend a meeting. The meeting is really a fact finding exercise to see if there's anything the employer can do to help. Are you sure that this isn't the case with your employer?

skint_chick

I've just been through this and was panicking that I would be dismissed or have a warning on file when I'm actually a good worker and do more than I should. I have an auto immune disorder that weakens my immune system and means I've had 4 periods of absence in the last 12 months - 3 x 1day emergency specialist appointments for an acute eye condition caused by my condition and 3 weeks off with a severe chest infection. My boss talked to me about the reasons behind the absences and then referred me to Occupational Health, who talked to me on the phone and wrote a report for my boss. Had I not done my own research and checked that my disability is covered by the Equality Act and my employer has to make reasonable adjustments for me - this has been taken at tribunal stage to mean allowing for an extra absence or 2 than normal or allowing a more flexible holiday policy - I don't think I would have felt so confident that I wasn't going to be dismissed.

Can you use your holidays to cover these procedures until your absences in a rolling year have decreased? Or can your employer refer you to OH to see if they can allow for your procedure absence as a reasonable adjustment? Hope you get this sorted, stress doesn't help with trying to keep sickness absence at bay!

Wonky_T

Macca83 wrote: »

My place of employment works along the same lines. 3 periods of absence and they require you to attend a meeting. The meeting is really a fact finding exercise to see if there's anything the employer can do to help. Are you sure that this isn't the case with your employer?

The fact finding exercise has already taken place (this was the initial meeting when I posted this message)

al_1232 wrote: »

use your holidays ?

Not possible unfortunately. All holiday has to be booked at the start of the year - you can't book whenever you feel. So when an operation or appt crops up, there is no means of booking time off.

skint_chick wrote: »

Can you use your holidays to cover these procedures until your absences in a rolling year have decreased? Or can your employer refer you to OH to see if they can allow for your procedure absence as a reasonable adjustment? Hope you get this sorted, stress doesn't help with trying to keep sickness absence at bay!

I have no holidays available to book (as mentioned above). I booked all of my holiday last April (that's the policy). I have already been referred to OH but I could always ask again. That's some great advice...I am glad you got things sorted in the end - I hope I'm as lucky.


To update: Today I was handed a letter requesting my presence at a disciplinary meeting. No idea what I am going to do as it's on Monday - leaving me little time and CAB don't have appointments so soon. |Really stressed