Stress at work

jannet

Hi,


I started a new job with a small company in May. I have been off work since 11th September due to stress. I do have a sick line.


My boss is a bully and it is not easy to reason with him. During our last meeting he tried to coerce me to resign. I am reluctant to attend another meeting where I expect to be be-rated once again for issues which are outwith my control. I have received a number of e mails from my employer and this is the latest>


[FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
As you were aware further to my email and letter dated 28[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]th[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif] September we invited you to attend welfare meeting on 6[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]th[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif] October, prior to the meeting you advised that you felt there was no point attending this meeting until you were able to return to work. As outlined in our letter dated 28.09.2015 the purpose of this meeting is to establish the nature and extent of your illness, how long it’s likely to be before you are well enough to return to work and what arrangements we might need to make to ensure your safety. We would therefore ask to reconsider your decision not to attend the meeting. If you are unable to attend then please could you answer the below questions:[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
1. Please provide details of your current state of health. [/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
2. Do you feel that you will be fit to return to work? If so, when? If unsure please estimate time frame (End of Current Sick note, within a month, within 3/6 months) [/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
3. What limitations do you think you will have when you return?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
4. Are there any aspects of your job that you will be able / unable to do e.g. lifting, standing for long periods of time?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
5. What reasonable adjustments can we make to aid your return? For example, lighter duties/phased return? Please note that we are more then willing to keep on the temporary member of staff to assist you with work load to enable you to come back on a phased return if that would assist.[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
6. What medication/treatment are you receiving?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
7. How are you responding to this?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
8. Would your medication affect your ability to do your job e.g. make you drowsy, dizzy?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
9. Have you received any treatment? If you are scheduled treatment when will it be?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
10. How much has your condition worsened or improved since you have been off work?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
11. Would you be willing to give consent to attend a Telephone Assessment, A Stress Intervention call or Face to Face Appointment with Occupational Health ?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT]


I do realise there are two sides to any story and it may well be that I am simply not up to the job. They are entitled to terminate my employment should they wish, however I do not feel they should be sending me e mails like this. How would you respond?

tomtontom

Can you clarify the dates please - did you go off sick the same month you started work?

I would answer the questions to the best of your ability. Alternatively, you could agree to discuss the information with someone from occupational health, as they have suggested.

JJ_Egan

I see nothing wrong with this they need to know what is happening .
Why don't you just resign due to ill health .

ohreally

Would you be willing to give consent to attend a Telephone Assessment, A Stress Intervention call or Face to Face Appointment with Occupational Health ?

They've asked if your up for a meeting with a third party, over the phone if you want, to have a discussion over your situation. What else do you want of them?

You need to begin talking at some point.

Takeaway_Addict

jannet wrote: »

Hi,


I started a new job with a small company in May. I have been off work since 11th May due to stress. I do have a sick line.


My boss is a bully and it is not easy to reason with him. During our last meeting he tried to coerce me to resign. I am reluctant to attend another meeting where I expect to be be-rated once again for issues which are outwith my control. I have received a number of e mails from my employer and this is the latest>


[FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
As you were aware further to my email and letter dated 28[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]th[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif] September we invited you to attend welfare meeting on 6[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]th[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif] October, prior to the meeting you advised that you felt there was no point attending this meeting until you were able to return to work. As outlined in our letter dated 28.09.2015 the purpose of this meeting is to establish the nature and extent of your illness, how long it’s likely to be before you are well enough to return to work and what arrangements we might need to make to ensure your safety. We would therefore ask to reconsider your decision not to attend the meeting. If you are unable to attend then please could you answer the below questions:[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
1. Please provide details of your current state of health. [/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
2. Do you feel that you will be fit to return to work? If so, when? If unsure please estimate time frame (End of Current Sick note, within a month, within 3/6 months) [/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
3. What limitations do you think you will have when you return?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
4. Are there any aspects of your job that you will be able / unable to do e.g. lifting, standing for long periods of time?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
5. What reasonable adjustments can we make to aid your return? For example, lighter duties/phased return? Please note that we are more then willing to keep on the temporary member of staff to assist you with work load to enable you to come back on a phased return if that would assist.[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
6. What medication/treatment are you receiving?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
7. How are you responding to this?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
8. Would your medication affect your ability to do your job e.g. make you drowsy, dizzy?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
9. Have you received any treatment? If you are scheduled treatment when will it be?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
10. How much has your condition worsened or improved since you have been off work?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
11. Would you be willing to give consent to attend a Telephone Assessment, A Stress Intervention call or Face to Face Appointment with Occupational Health ?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT]


I do realise there are two sides to any story and it may well be that I am simply not up to the job. They are entitled to terminate my employment should they wish, however I do not feel they should be sending me e mails like this. How would you respond?

You sound hard work, 11 days max you worked before going off ill.

That email is perfectly fine, should they not do anything, they are actually doing the right thing, alot of employers would have dismissed you already but they are trying to help you back to work which is a responsible thing for them to do.

It is also quite clear from the wording used in that email that they are getting legal advice from a 3rd party to make sure they do things correctly.

I very much doubt your boss is a bully.

BlueEyedGirl

jannet wrote: »

Hi,

I started a new job with a small company in May. I have been off work since 11th May due to stress. I do have a sick line.

My boss is a bully and it is not easy to reason with him. During our last meeting he tried to coerce me to resign. I am reluctant to attend another meeting where I expect to be be-rated once again for issues which are outwith my control. I have received a number of e mails from my employer and this is the latest>

[FONT=Arial,sans-serif]As you were aware further to my email and letter dated 28[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]th[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif] September we invited you to attend welfare meeting on 6[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]th[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif] October, prior to the meeting you advised that you felt there was no point attending this meeting until you were able to return to work. As outlined in our letter dated 28.09.2015 the purpose of this meeting is to establish the nature and extent of your illness, how long it’s likely to be before you are well enough to return to work and what arrangements we might need to make to ensure your safety. We would therefore ask to reconsider your decision not to attend the meeting. If you are unable to attend then please could you answer the below questions:[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
1. Please provide details of your current state of health. [/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
2. Do you feel that you will be fit to return to work? If so, when? If unsure please estimate time frame (End of Current Sick note, within a month, within 3/6 months) [/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
3. What limitations do you think you will have when you return?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
4. Are there any aspects of your job that you will be able / unable to do e.g. lifting, standing for long periods of time?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
5. What reasonable adjustments can we make to aid your return? For example, lighter duties/phased return? Please note that we are more then willing to keep on the temporary member of staff to assist you with work load to enable you to come back on a phased return if that would assist.[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
6. What medication/treatment are you receiving?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
7. How are you responding to this?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
8. Would your medication affect your ability to do your job e.g. make you drowsy, dizzy?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
9. Have you received any treatment? If you are scheduled treatment when will it be?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
10. How much has your condition worsened or improved since you have been off work?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
11. Would you be willing to give consent to attend a Telephone Assessment, A Stress Intervention call or Face to Face Appointment with Occupational Health ?[/FONT][FONT=Arial,sans-serif]
[/FONT]
I do realise there are two sides to any story and it may well be that I am simply not up to the job. They are entitled to terminate my employment should they wish, however I do not feel they should be sending me e mails like this. How would you respond?

Are these dates correct. You started work in May and went sick on the 11th May.

I personally see nothing wrong with the email or the questions being asked. They seem pretty standard to me.

FBaby

however I do not feel they should be sending me e mails like this.

Why? What's wrong with this? If you feel defensive at receiving such a non-threatening email, then maybe it is you who do have issues with adapting to the workforce.

What do you think would be reasonable of your boss to do?

MoneyMission2015

I agree with the other posters, I see nothing wrong in the email above & actually I think your employer sounds like they are really trying to help, even offering to keep on a temporary employee to help you out, which is an extra cost to them.

BlueEyedGirl

Recalling when I went sick from my paid job, I had similar letters from my employers. I communicated with them and kept them well informed. I even spoke with occupational health via the phone and attended appointments, even taking up the offer of seeing the Psychologist they had on board.

sammyjammy

If you had worked for me 11 days before going on long term sick I sure wouldn't be sending you letters by now.

vegasvisitor

I can't imagine the dates in the OP are correct (ie max 11 days - surely not). I would think if it was that short term you would just leave? And if he was trying to coerce you to leave why didn't they just let you go if it was indeed such a short time in the role?

If the dates are not correct, then I see nothing wrong with them writing to you to ask you to talk. What I think it odd about it is that the Occupational Health request is the last point in the letter. It should perhaps be a lot higher up there? I think that sounds like your best option - talk it through with Occ Health. I don't think you can refuse to do that. Occ Health will also discuss with you whether or not you are fit to attend direct meetings in the workplace.