didn't give second sick note in time - accused of unauthorised absence

kirri97

Hi,
first of all.. sorry for a wall of text...
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tomtontom

How long have you worked there? How long did it take you to collect the letter from the post office, were you not home when they tried to deliver?

Are you still on a warning from previous absences?

kirri97

I have worked there 3 years. My warning is still there, yes. I am guessing I will at least get a second warning, but as they say this is "unauthorised absence" I'm worried they might actually fire me now.

according to the company policy you get a first warning, then a second, then you can be fired the third time but I'm not sure what the conditions are with unauthorised absences.

I collected the letter after 10 days because i thought it was a dress I bought about 2 months ago that got lost in the mail, returned to the sender and then was sent to me again.

I was home on the day the postman delivered it, I don't know how I didn't hear him knocking because I always do was very surprised when I saw the time saying 1.30pm or something as I know I was in until about 3.30 when I left to go to a meeting

iclayt

After that, I was meant to go back to work, but instead I was signed off for another 3 weeks - I didn't feel well enough to go back yet. I emailed my hr assistant, as it was said she would be the one I should contact. I told her about the sick note. I then arranged a meeting with my Assistant manager the day after where I explained my situation. She was very understanding and nice about everything. I had my sick note with me but I forgot to give it to her.

So - you do have a sick note covering you for these (now unauthorised) absences?

kirri97

Yes, I have a sick note covering the 3 weeks they say I have been on unauthorised leave. I always had it but I forgot to give it to my manager when we met the day after I was signed off. Then I didn't hear from them, no phone calls or anything so I thought everything was okay as they knew about the sickness note lasting three weeks... I told my manager at the time that I believed these 3 weeks would be enough for me, and that I was thinking to come back earlier, which I was hoping to do (I wanted to come back to work tomorrow, Tuesday but then I picked up this letter today.. My sickness note runs out this weekend. As soon as I read the letter I called my manager and also sent him the sick note.

iclayt

I apologise if I'm missing something really obvious here, but if the meeting and warnings etc are because they never had a medical note for you on file, resulting in unauthorised absences, surely all you need to do is provide the medical note? It's not like you'll need to try and get another from the doctor, you have it there signed and dated from weeks ago for a further 3 weeks off work.

Again, apologies if I'm missing something, but as I understand it, you thought you'd handed in the sick note (or forgot to at the time - same outcome), they've highlighted this to you by letter (if your boss is so understanding I'm also surprised a simple phone call or casual email couldn't have sufficed at first). And now you've produced it, surely making them authorised absences?

DUTR

iclayt wrote: »

I apologise if I'm missing something really obvious here, but if the meeting and warnings etc are because they never had a medical note for you on file, resulting in unauthorised absences, surely all you need to do is provide the medical note? It's not like you'll need to try and get another from the doctor, you have it there signed and dated from weeks ago for a further 3 weeks off work.

Again, apologies if I'm missing something, but as I understand it, you thought you'd handed in the sick note (or forgot to at the time - same outcome), they've highlighted this to you by letter (if your boss is so understanding I'm also surprised a simple phone call or casual email couldn't have sufficed at first). And now you've produced it, surely making them authorised absences?

An absence note is an absence note, and rules are rules, I know the OP may not be acting fully rational, the notes have to be in to cover the absence, at the time the company checked their records there was no covering note, that is fact. I doubt the OP would get a dismissal warning, it wouldn't surprise me though if there was not a warning of some kind

iclayt

I do agree that the OP has made an error by not handing it in much sooner, but by the very nature of the illness, which the boss is aware of, it's not much of a surprise that they may have forgotten with so much else to focus on. A little understanding and a reminder about the sick note would have avoided a lot of this additional stress and worry. We're not talking a broken leg here.

But yes, I would think another warning of some kind will be made, within their rules - but I do think that it would be unfair.

OP I think you just need to approach this meeting with an open mind, apologise for not sending it sooner and explain it slipped your mind because of everything you have been trying to work through. That's telling the truth and it's really all you can do - the rest will be up to them.

Savvy_Sue

Just wondering how soon after the first fit note had expired did they write to say they didn't have one?

From the employer's point of view, it's a good idea to ensure that there's a valid fit note on the file during extended absences, otherwise the situation can drift on. DH had had to terminate someone's employment because they failed to submit a fit note, or to return to work, or to contact him to discuss their likely return to work, or to discuss the bullying which they alleged was preventing their return to work, and so on! He did it very carefully, however!

sweetstudent

I was given a 4 week sick note by my doctor which lasted until 17/07/14, however the doctor then extended it by two weeks a week ago. I gave my sicknote in to my line manager straight away as i did not want to risk losing it or forgetting about it!

Can you not take a colleague into the meeting with you or do you have any union representative you can talk to or again bring with you?

kirri97

I'm hoping that the sick note I have now handed in will mean the absence is now not unauthorised, but I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure I won't be paid for it though I really have caused this situation myself, so annoyed!

I got my sick note on the 27th of June. Had a meeting with my manager on the 28th but forgot to give it to her. They then wrote to me on the 4th of July (without even one phone call first! ) I think the letter only got here on the 7th. I then didn't pick it up until Monday the 14th.
I called my boss straight away and sent it.

I'm going to call and ask what the meeting will be about.. I have no idea at the minute, it could be a disciplinary meeting, just to check if I'm "fit to return", fire me? I really have no idea.

I'm really bad for money now too, my rent alone is 800 >.< Still going to try and get back to work this week.