Is it right for my manager to ask to see me for a chat while off sick?

Legacy_user

Can anybody tell me if it is actually ok for a manager to request to see you for a chat while you are signed off sick?
I posted another thread about being off sick with stress and needing another job asap but just wondered if anyone can help me with this question.
My manager has called me and said she wants to meet with me on Friday in a local coffee shop as she needs to have a chat with me...I only saw the GP yesterday and sent in my sick note and my manager already knew I was stressed about the job as I had tried to talk to her about it before.
I have read that you can't actually be sacked while on the sick and that they shouldn't actually talk to you about it until you are well as this could constitute harrassment. Does anybody know if this is true?

ohreally

ploppy57 wrote: »

I have read that you can't actually be sacked while on the sick

Can you post a link to that one?

tomtontom

I have read that you can't actually be sacked while on the sick and that they shouldn't actually talk to you about it until you are well as this could constitute harrassment.

Where have you read this? It is nonsense.

With stress related illness it is good practice for employers to contact the worker at an early stage to see what can be done to minimise any issues that might be causing the stress. Meeting at a neutral venue is generally preferable for the worker than going into work. It sounds like your employer is trying to be supportive.

Tigsteroonie

tomtontom wrote: »

With stress related illness it is good practice for employers to contact the worker at an early stage to see what can be done to minimise any issues that might be causing the stress. Meeting at a neutral venue is generally preferable for the worker than going into work. It sounds like your employer is trying to be supportive.

Yep, sounds like a welfare meeting to me.

elsien

Our long term sickness policy used to say managers should have monthly contact with people off sick for any length of time. What does yours say?

sangie595

I went back and read your other thread also before answering this.

First off - you work in a local authority and there is absolutely no way that they will "leave you alone" when you are off work for stress and under the circumstances you describe. They have a legal obligation to carry out a duty of care - and they will have numerous policies that determine exactly what they must do in these circumstances. Especially since, as you have already been told, you can be sacked for too much time off work, and there will be specific policies around this which your manager is obliged to follow whether they wish to or not.

I understand that you have taken on more than you can handle - but in the fonal analysis you did take it on, and legally it is too late to change that. You needed to say no within four weeks of starting the new job. But all is not lost. Local authorities are often (but not always) more flexible than other employers. If you want to work part-time - ask if that can be accommodated. If that isn't possible, ask if you can return to the redeployment pool. The one catch here is that you won't be eligible for redundancy, because you have a job and that job isn't redundant - it's too late to wind back the clock on that one. But you must engage with the employer and try to find a solution that works for you both. Because if you can't, I am sorry, but you will be on the road to being dismissed.

You should definitely be asking for a referral to occupational health - a recommendation from them is not sacrosanct, but it carries a great deal of weight.

Takeaway_Addict

ploppy57 wrote: »

Can anybody tell me if it is actually ok for a manager to request to see you for a chat while you are signed off sick?
I posted another thread about being off sick with stress and needing another job asap but just wondered if anyone can help me with this question.
My manager has called me and said she wants to meet with me on Friday in a local coffee shop as she needs to have a chat with me...I only saw the GP yesterday and sent in my sick note and my manager already knew I was stressed about the job as I had tried to talk to her about it before.
I have read that you can't actually be sacked while on the sick and that they shouldn't actually talk to you about it until you are well as this could constitute harrassment. Does anybody know if this is true?

Early interaction on stress at work is often found to be effective at getting people back to work.

I would suggest you go and talk, its a neutral venue and you have time to prepare (write down) what you want to say to the manager, what you would like them to do to get you back to work and so on. Ask if you can take a friend or family member with you (but don't let them talk for you) for back up.

System

Thanks for all your replies everybody. I will see what transpires from the meeting.

RedfordML

In fairness, it sounds relaxed in a coffee shop.


Maybe she is being genuine and checking how you are? On the flip side she does have to job to do and if you are not returning for a while/ever maybe she needs to clarify so she can move forward?


I would attend. You have done everything by the book and submitted sick notes etc.

TELLIT01

Contacting employees on long term sick is pretty much standard practice these days. Where I worked it was after 2 weeks, 4 weeks and then intermittently.
Common sense does have to be applied though. There was one manager who decided they must do the 2 week visit despite the employee actually being in hospital!

skintpaul

Maybe just to check how you are (coping), and if anything the firm needs to do, to ease you back into work, if and when you are ready..

If the job is too much, you need to tell them- as employers have a duty of care