Advice regarding work and potential serious illness

milliemonster

Accept my apologies if I'm wrong but I think you're asking if it's acceptable for you to take ad hoc sick days interspersed with your days off rather than either reducing your hours for a while or taking a block of sick leave. To be honest, I'm not sure how your employer would see it, most employers, mine included (nhs) take a very dim view of repeated episodes of sickness, but this I mean if you take 2 days sick leave, return to work to your days off, are back at work for a few days then go off sick again and do this repeatedly it will trigger sickness monitoring policies and could ultimately lead to dismissal, irrespective of the reasons behind the sickness.

My nhs employer triggers the disciplinary procedure if you have 3 or more episodes of sickness in 6 months, or 4 or more in a rolling 12 month period, whether these are related to 'genuine' health issues or not.

For an employer, having an employee in and out of work is difficult to manage, it's much better for them to know someone is off for say 6 months and they can cover it, than be in work and off again on a repeated basis.

So from that aspect, I would agree with the others that from what I think you're asking, you're not being fair to yourself or your employer by wanting to take a few days off sick here and there until all this is sorted out.

Gordie1975

Yes, it does sound like taking the pee a bit, it may be best just to give them a sick note and take the time off, i just wanted to minimize disruption to my manager during this very busy time, and me being off will force him to work silly hours, his boss has said the right things, but in reallity no one is coming to help. hes simply expecting my manager to get on with it.

Also, i wasnt overly keen on using sickness now, incase worst comes to worst and i end up getting sicker later on and ive used up all my sickness now.
i get 3 months full pay, then 3 months 75% pay, but im unsure if thats per financial year, (like does it reset april 1st), or is it rolling, 3 months within a year.

Thanks though.

Dizzy_Ditzy

Your health comes first and foremost. Get a note from your GP and concentrate on yourself.

I wish you luck with diagnosis and treatment

Moneysaver199

I think you could benefit from asking your employer directly. I'm guessing you won't want to ask to reduce your hours (losing money) either, and as you are ill you really should be off sick. Talk to them and see if there's an alternative if you are really determined.

Gordie1975

Thank you all for the help, i will be talking with my employer.

in the mean time i have just got a parking fine for £70 through the door for one of my hospital visits.

Im heading over to the parking charges section now, to seek advice, really dont need this.:(

robatwork

How I always look at this is the saying that nobody ever has inscribed on their gravestone:

I wish I spent more time in the office.

Hope things turn out OK for you - speak to the patient liaison at the hospital as if you are a regular/repeat outpatient they should be able to offer you parking concessions.

jobbingmusician

Gordie, I hope it's not disloyal to say so, but I think pepipoo.com is even better than this forum for challenging parking charges

Gordie1975

A little update on this, i spoke to my immediate boss and i explained i needed my hours reduced down a bit, to 40 at the most, but he said hed try, but it being the busy time it would be difficuilt.

This week i was scheduled in for 46 hours over 4 days as we get an extra day off xmas day, but he was only doing 40 hours, i asked about this and was told he was stressed and needed time off to recouperate:eek:

So today i get my results back, isnt isnt the best news, it is a type of cancer, although slow growing, and they plan laser treatment on it, but i need to go for a blood test thursday for something so need to finnish at 3pm instead of 8pm.

So i call into work to explain about my results and to tell them about the blood test,and am told that the bosses now want us all in store until 11pm today and tomorrow, but that the supervisor will close the store and i can finish at 6pm.
Then tonight he calls me and says that i have no choice other than doing 7am to 11pm otherwise "i will be doing less hours than him", so i "have no choice", now im not sure if the boss has done till 11pm today, he may well have done one of his flyers and gone at 3pm, but it seems im now stuck with a 16 hour shift.

I may go for lunch tomorrow and speak to the cancer nurse at hospital and ask to be signed off immediately, im so annoyed

I cant sleep now due to the worrying how to tell my family, and its now 3am and im up for the 16 hour shift in 3 hours.

To cap it off head office told us last week that for the 3rd year running no one on salary will be getting a pay increase, despite the living wage coming in April.

It is at the point now that if i was a person in til doing my hours id be no worse off, when living wage comes in they will either need to cut hours or increase pay, as id be bellow minimum living wage.:(

had enough of them.

vacationgirl

You cannot work silly hours whilst coping with your health issues and those of your girlfriend. Your best option would be to get a sick note to cover you for the next couple of weeks until the Xmas and New Year madness is over. This will enable you to recharge your batteries, take stock and allow you to consider your options. Worrying about work and inconveniencing colleagues should not be your priority.
Take care

bugslet

I run a haulage company and we are busy as retail, but if someone came to me with the health issues you have, I'd tell them to **** off ( affectionately) home and get some rest.

I think you are a star for being so thoughtful to your colleagues, but your health needs to come first.

IF you want to work because you want to take your mind off things and keep things as normal as possible, then just put your foot down and say you can do reduced hours and stick to it ( though I think you should concentrate on getting better).

Good luck with your treatment.