Unable to work due to work related stress- what happens next?

Daisychains

I have today been told by both my doctor and occupational health that I am currently unfit to work due to anxiety and work related stress. I am a civil servant and my first day of sickness was Monday.

I'm very confused at the minute about what is going to happen. I don't feel well enough to go back to work yet, I feel like I'm in a complete and utter mess

I have been working in this job for less than a year but over 6 months. Won't go into details about what has caused the stress as it's very personal and a long story!

Any advice is appreciated, thank you

ALI1973

You can self certify for the first 7 days (inc weekends) of sickness after which you will need a doctors note. Make sure you check your workplace handbook regarding reporting and contact during your sickness.

Has the doctor/occ health offered you counselling?

Daisychains

ALI1973 wrote: »

You can self certify for the first 7 days (inc weekends) of sickness after which you will need a doctors note. Make sure you check your workplace handbook regarding reporting and contact during your sickness.

Has the doctor/occ health offered you counselling?

I asked the doctor for medication to control the panic attacks but he refused and recommended counselling instead, he gave me a number to ring to make an appointment.

He said I can go back for a sick note on Monday if I want to. I don't want to go down that route really but I don't want to risk having another melt down at work either!

I've also been using my employers counselling service, I've found it's helped talking to them. I did have an issue calling in sick yesterday because I had the wrong number but my employer rang me so I was still able to let them know I wouldn't be in.

This gave me a huge panic stack and I was tying to get hold of them for literally 2 hours before they called me. My employer was obviously unhappy I hadn't called i which upset me as I thought I had the right number but it turned out there was 1 wrong digit (checked the number with 2 colleagues who'd assured me it was correct!)

I made sure I've got proof of the attempted contact and now have the right number I rang in this morning and let them know of the situation and spoke to occupational health a couple of hours ago.

Thanks x

ALI1973

Counselling really helped me with my panic attacks, so if your Dr thinks this is where to start, then please make the appointment.

Try and take each day as it comes, if you still don't feel able to return to work on Monday, then return to your Dr as he has suggested, in the meantime, keep in touch with the employee counselling line if it is helping, does your employer offer face to face counselling too?, also, as difficult as it may seem, keep in touch with your workplace at least to the minimum required, now you have the correct number. This will help ease your stress about work, by knowing that you have done what is expected and may also help ease any anxiety about when you return.

Best wishes

Poppy9

If you are suffering bullying at work you need to flag it up. If it's just general work related stress, i.e. you just find the type/volume of work stressful then you could ask to be redeployed to a less stressful job but they do have the option to terminate your employment within the first year.

ohreally

Inform the PCS and then enlist their support to resolve.

Daisychains

Poppy9 wrote: »

If you are suffering bullying at work you need to flag it up. If it's just general work related stress, i.e. you just find the type/volume of work stressful then you could ask to be redeployed to a less stressful job but they do have the option to terminate your employment within the first year.

There are no alternative duties or oppurtunties to take on another job in this company due to my contract unfortunately the situation is really compilicated in regards to bullying I've only been off sick for 3 days - do you think they will sack me?

Poppy9

Daisychains wrote: »

There are no alternative duties or oppurtunties to take on another job in this company due to my contract unfortunately the situation is really compilicated in regards to bullying I've only been off sick for 3 days - do you think they will sack me?

I honestly can't answer that. I work LA and it really depends on department/managers regarding situations like this.

My personal opinion is if this job is making you ill after such a short time them it's not the job for you. I don't mean this harshly but I have worked with many people over the last 30 odd years who have suffered badly with work related stress which has gone on for years. They will never recover while in the same job but can't afford to give up the job but they have such poor quality of life in that they hate their job and the stress that comes with it.

I've never worked civil service so can't comment on how they deal with long term sickness.

Daisychains

I'm really hoping it won't get to the point of long term sickness. I want to go back but my mood swings are so bad that I'm worried I'll just have a break down the minute I sit back at my desk. I managed for the first 7 or so months fine, the last couple of months I've been dragging my self to work and ignoring the panic attacks but it all just spilled out on Monday due to circumstances. My job is very stressful, I work in a job centre, and other problems in the work place made the stress of the job 10x worse

Thanks for your help x

London50

Sorry but as you have been with the company for less than 2 years they can end your contract with them for any reason they choose. You can thank the goverment for bringing in this ruling.

dori2o

As a civil servant you should have access to the employee assistance program, from this scheme you can get 6 sessions of counselling. Your manager should have made you aware of this assistance and provided you with the details to contact them on.