employer wants me to complete modules when off sick

lor6126

Hi everyone, i have been off sick for three weeks and have another sick note from doctor this morning for next two weeks.

I have just had a phone call from work about some modules all staff were to complete, ie health and safety etc. Seemingly the deadline is today and they want me either to go to one of the shops to do this or access them on my own computer and complete them.

I told them there was no way i was able to come in to work to do this and said i would try and look at them at home.

Can they do this ? i have been almost bedridden for weeks now with a host of symptoms and suspect i have fybromalgia.

I would be really grateful for any advice.

Podge52

Assuming you have good relations with your employer, if you are able to do the modules online why wouldn't you ?
Tell your employer it's not possible if your illness prevents you from doing so.

anamenottaken

lor6126 wrote: »

Hi everyone, i have been off sick for three weeks and have another sick note from doctor this morning for next two weeks.

I have just had a phone call from work about some modules all staff were to complete, ie health and safety etc. Seemingly the deadline is today and they want me either to go to one of the shops to do this or access them on my own computer and complete them.

I told them there was no way i was able to come in to work to do this and said i would try and look at them at home.

Can they do this ? i have been almost bedridden for weeks now with a host of symptoms and suspect i have fybromalgia.

I would be really grateful for any advice.

So you suspect fibromyalgia. Given your doctor has provided a second sick note to give you five weeks off work (cumulative so far to the expiry of the latest note), what's the doctor's diagnosis? Does whatever you have affect your ability to use a computer from time to time? Presumably not because you have been able to post your enquiry.

In that case, I'd work through the modules from home. It means you won't have to do them when you return and it helps your employer.

lor6126

Im not really able to do much on computer, have only put it on in the hope of getting an answer to this question. I havent slept in days, am in extreme pain and cant even have a shower without help. I have also been put on new medication today which is making me feel dizzy and spaced out.
I dont really want to worsen relations with them as they have been extremely unsympathetic and im frightened they may sack me, but i genuinely dont feel able to complete work which i guess would take me a couple of hours and they want it done today.

lor6126

anamenottaken wrote: »

So you suspect fibromyalgia. Given your doctor has provided a second sick note to give you five weeks off work (cumulative so far to the expiry of the latest note), what's the doctor's diagnosis? Does whatever you have affect your ability to use a computer from time to time? Presumably not because you have been able to post your enquiry.

In that case, I'd work through the modules from home. It means you won't have to do them when you return and it helps your employer.

the doctor doesnt know, i am waiting on results of xrays and am on waiting list to see rheumatologist, i am being treated with strong painkillers/ antidepressants untill we have results.

Tiddlywinks

Back to basics...

There are no 'sick notes' any more... they are now 'fit notes'...

What does your fit note say?

What did the doctor say about when you might return to work and what sort of duties you could undertake?

This is something that should have been discussed in some detail in order to get a meaningful note and to help your employer understand what they can do to assist.

In the meantime, have you engaged with the company's HR and Occupational Health teams?

lor6126

fruitedeli wrote: »

You are able to use your computer to make this thread. Therefore you are able to complete this health and safety form online. You're obviously lying and taking the !!!! here.

I am taken aback at the venom in your post, if you cant offer any help please dont comment as i really could do without it at the moment.
If it was simply a form that was needed i would make the effort. it is a set of eight learning modules that is needed to be completed which we are marked on and required to meet a certain pass mark, and if i felt competent to do this i would be at work. !

anamenottaken

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

Back to basics...

There are no 'sick notes' any more... they are now 'fit notes'...

What does your fit note say?

What did the doctor say about when you might return to work and what sort of duties you could undertake?

This is something that should have been discussed in some detail in order to get a meaningful note and to help your employer understand what they can do to assist.

In the meantime, have you engaged with the company's HR and Occupational Health teams?

I think that is more of a theory than reality. Certainly I have seen GP-issued sick notes this year which say point blank something like "I have advised you to refrain from work until ....." with no indication that any duties could be performed although the member of staff was able to access work emails and respond.

lor6126

sorry about confusion of sick note,/fit note. I havent been ill before this in years so didnt know the difference.
The fit note saysi am not fit for work, the part that says i may benifit from altered hours etc, amended duties has all been crossed out.
The doctor says i will be off until they get to the bottom of what is actually wrong with me and find medication that helps.
The ones they are trialing at the moment are having some bad side effects and it is hoped i will get acclimatised to them.

i have not been contacted by hr yet tho that may change as i am entering a fourth week of sickness now.

Poppie68

lor6126 wrote: »

sorry about confusion of sick note,/fit note. I havent been ill before this in years so didnt know the difference.
The fit note saysi am not fit for work, the part that says i may benifit from altered hours etc, amended duties has all been crossed out.
The doctor says i will be off until they get to the bottom of what is actually wrong with me and find medication that helps.
The ones they are trialing at the moment are having some bad side effects and it is hoped i will get acclimatised to them.

I had a diagnosis of fibro 3 years ago, the medication i am on makes concentration and normal function difficult. Without knowing what medication you have been prescribed maybe it would not be a good idea completing the modules until you feel competent to do so. Maybe worth pointing that out to your employer.

Tiddlywinks

lor6126 wrote: »

The doctor says i will be off until they get to the bottom of what is actually wrong with me and find medication that helps.
The ones they are trialing at the moment are having some bad side effects and it is hoped i will get acclimatised to them.

i have not been contacted by hr yet tho that may change as i am entering a fourth week of sickness now.

So, you are looking at being off for a long term... you need to ask to be referred to your company's Occupational Health team plus make it clear to your line manager that you will not be able to return for sometime... the fact that they have asked you to complete the modules suggests a real lack of understanding about your condition and timeframes.