Op needed - tactic to tell work ?

Dan-Dan

Hi All

Just wanted some advice really , i went to the hospital today with a long standing foot issue , turns out i need a small bone removed from my right foot , the surgeon told me to prepare for 2 weeks in a cast and a total of 6 weeks `laid up` and said i would need 6 weeks off work...easier said than done...

Anyway , i get a 6 week sick leave grace according to my contract but its rolling for 12 months , tho i dont think i have had a sick day in the last twelve months but will have to check

I have about 10 days leave left , but we will be moving hom summer/autumn all being well and as much as i feel i`m taking the mick typing it , i need the leave for that...

What is my best way of breaching this with my work tomorow in other peoples opinions ?

I am a office supervisor and to some extent i can work from home using the laptop and my work phone

my work are a decent bunch but obviously 6 weeks is a LONG TIME!

Any advice welcome before i break the news tomorrow


Cheers

gibson123

Just be honest, people need operations and you need recovery time. it is not unreasonable to expect to take the time off, whether you get paid about SSP, or not is a different matter.

asparagus1968

they won't say you can't be off, but you may have to take it unpaid.

claret_mike

Laid up - what does your Dr mean by this, are you going to be in a wheel chair, or on crutches? If on crutches, can you not be in the office and on crutches or are you going to be welded to the sofa/bed for 6 weeks?

indsty

You sound like a reasonable person, your employers sound like reasonable people - so just let them know what you have been advised by the doc. If you reckon 6 weeks will cause raised eyebrows then you can certainly volunteer that although you will need 2 weeks absolutely off sick, you are willing to make yourself available at home by phone/laptop as necessary for the remainder of the time ........ until you can hobble back to the office.

gibson123

indsty wrote: »

You sound like a reasonable person, your employers sound like reasonable people - so just let them know what you have been advised by the doc. If you reckon 6 weeks will cause raised eyebrows then you can certainly volunteer that although you will need 2 weeks absolutely off sick, you are willing to make yourself available at home by phone/laptop as necessary for the remainder of the time ........ until you can hobble back to the office.

My organisation would not allow this! If you are signed as "not fit for work" you are not allowed to work. I know because I was "laid up" for 4 weeks with a leg injury and wanted to return after 3 weeks, but my work said I would have to go back to the doc and get certified as fit.

antonic

Tell them the truth and if they value you as an employee, there shouldnt be a problem.

Also an employer likes to be told the truth !.

I should know as I have had 2 lengthy sick absences recently following an accident and then an operation to improve the situation.

I`m a Civil Servant, and my manager was fine, because I handed in my fit notes and kept them informed.

My total time off sick, was approx 5 months in 2 years.

greenbee

Fit notes allow your doctor to sign you either as Fit to work, Not fit to work or Fit to work with adjustments - so working from home, or reduced hours might be possible for part of the 6 weeks.

As you are in a office job, you could talk to your employer about the op and ask them if they would be flexible if it meant you could be back at work earlier, even if not on site or full time.

I have regular ops, and as a result my employer is used to me working while on bed rest. After all, it's only in the couple after the anaesthetic that my brain is impacted (although I do try not to do anything too complicated for at least a week!)

Dan-Dan

Thanks for all advice guys , think i will run it by my immediate boss a bit later , TELL them the situation ,then try to work something around the issue , quite happy to do what needs doing but not to risk any harm to my operated area

I will certainly take the 2 weeks off completley , then maybe can discuss , getting a lift into work ,or something

Problem is , we work on the 3rd floor of an old building with no lift , so i would need to feel really comfortable with my injury and crutches to be happy in work....

Tricky one , thanks for all advice tho

Dan-Dan

Hi all..

it wasnt as bad as i feared , i told my immediate boss , who waffled on about using 5 days leave and 5 days sick to cover the two weeks where i defintley wont be able to do anything , said it wasnt really `any help` that i had a work laptop or phone (strange , doesnt feel that way when i`m working after hours etc!)

Other than that , he was OK with it , just a bit worried operationally wise i think but said it is what it is etc

So i emailed the HR head as i wasnt being pushed into anything , and she was really helpful and said (and copied in my boss so he was `aware` of company procedure) i have 4.5 years service which = 4 weeks full pay and 4 weeks half pay , and lets wait for the date to come through and work it out from there

so not too bad so far , i should be greatful i think

cheers

Bigmoney2

Dan-Dan wrote: »

Thanks for all advice guys , think i will run it by my immediate boss a bit later , TELL them the situation ,then try to work something around the issue , quite happy to do what needs doing but not to risk any harm to my operated area

I will certainly take the 2 weeks off completley , then maybe can discuss , getting a lift into work ,or something

Problem is , we work on the 3rd floor of an old building with no lift , so i would need to feel really comfortable with my injury and crutches to be happy in work....

Tricky one , thanks for all advice tho

It's not about you feeling comfortable, but rather the company will have to be satisfied that you can safely access and leave the building especially if it needed to be evacuated incase of fire.

They have a duty of care to you and the other staff, so will need to risk assess the situation and possibly make adjustments, such as finding you a desk on the ground floor, asigning a 'buddy' to help you in the event of a fire drill etc.

There may also be issues with their insurance.

Occupational Health will usually assess you and advice on any adjustments that will help, they will also not want to agrivate the condition by you returning too soon.