Work are annoyed I'm off sick

Polarbeary

I was quite happy at work until now. I've not passed my probationary period yet as 3 weeks shy of the 6 month mark. I have had excellent feedback so far.

I do have two chronic health condition but I was keeping up at work and most people do 1 or 2 days a week working from home - it's a very large company who are into flexible working. I've felt very fortunate to be able to work from home and I feel work have been very fair with me so far.

Unfortunately, I've been very ill in hospital requiring surgery and have been signed off work for 4 weeks. As I haven't passed my probationary period I only get stat sick pay - fair enough, I understand this and have made appropriate savings in case this occurred.

Apart from one of the HR officers I'm dealing with who is lovely, work is being, what I feel, to be unreasonable. I've had no enquirers about my health just a general air of annoyance. I've had to find my own cover with colleagues (who have generally been nice to be fair) and I've apologised for having to burden them with my work. I've always been happy to cover for others.

Management on the other hand are asking why I can't work from home. I'm really really not up to working, hence my consultant's sick note. I would rather be at work earning my salary and not crying with pain.

I fully appreciate they have a business to run and that I'm fully replaceable. But I can see them using this as an excuse for them to make me fail my probationary period.

Has anyone else been in the same boat and do you have any ideas?

marliepanda

As you know, they can fail you in your probationary period for any reason.

If you really like this job and the home working aspect appeals to you, and you feel this won't be an opportunity that comes up again, is it at all possible you can do at least some work from home, stressing you are off sick due to your health concerns BUT you are trying to 'pull your weight' as much as you possibly can.

Otherwise they may be thinking 'when is this going to happen again...?' when reviewing your pass/fail of the probation.

If you truly cannot work at all whilst recovering from your operation, then sadly you have no choice but to roll the dice.

Polarbeary

marliepanda wrote: »

As you know, they can fail you in your probationary period for any reason.

If you really like this job and the home working aspect appeals to you, and you feel this won't be an opportunity that comes up again, is it at all possible you can do at least some work from home, stressing you are off sick due to your health concerns BUT you are trying to 'pull your weight' as much as you possibly can.

Otherwise they may be thinking 'when is this going to happen again...?' when reviewing your pass/fail of the probation.

If you truly cannot work at all whilst recovering from your operation, then sadly you have no choice but to roll the dice.

Thanks. I also understand you can be dismissed for any reason within two years. Am I correct in thinking that even if there is a disibiliity involved they can still dismiss you without making reasonable adjustments?

I think I need a complete rest for at least a week then I'll offer to do some work from home.

It's sadly one of those things that can happen to anybody and perhaps the people who are annoyed at me will be in my position one day. I could have ended up having weeks in hospital and been unable to work at all.

I do really see it from their point of view. My health does come first and I have reasonable savings and I live rent free with family so I will be okay. But I would much rather be well enough to work.

marliepanda

Polarbeary wrote: »

Thanks. I also understand you can be dismissed for any reason within two years. Am I correct in thinking that even if there is a disibiliity involved they can still dismiss you without making reasonable adjustments?

I think I need a complete rest for at least a week then I'll offer to do some work from home.

It's sadly one of those things that can happen to anybody and perhaps the people who are annoyed at me will be in my position one day. I could have ended up having weeks in hospital and been unable to work at all.

I do really see it from their point of view. My health does come first and I have reasonable savings and I live rent free with family so I will be okay. But I would much rather be well enough to work.

They won't say its because of your disability (if your health issue is classed as one), unless theyre really daft. Theyll find another reason to dismiss you in your probationary period, which could be completely random.

arbroath_lass

Polarbeary wrote: »

I think I need a complete rest for at least a week then I'll offer to do some work from home.

Have you told them this?

[Deleted User]

If you have been a joy to date, wouldn't they just say they want to extend your probation period worst case. (Remember they have put a lot of effort into recruiting you) and after couple of months in a job in utter but good madness I found myself having to enforce my resignation recently from a once reputed high turnover place but it wasn't due to the employer, simply more employees walk then they can retain (I was more embarrassed for messing up their summer retention of staff score by the end of it!)

No employer really gives up on someone unless they are completely devoid of any feeling or gutless as to not tell someone their failings or it looks like the employee just can't do the job early days - so you would have been out long ago if you didn't fit I'll bet and they are probably more afraid of losing you. If someone is honest with you and you them it's always going to be a positive.

TELLIT01

Not attempting to justify the management attitude in any way, but the only thing many companies seem to care about these days is getting the job done, with staff wellbeing a long way down the list of priorities. It's possible/probably that your managers are being pressured from above to "resolve the situation". That may be affecting their perceived attitude towards you.
Letting them know that total rest has been recommended by the doctors for x days/weeks, but after that you would be willing to try a phased return to work may take the pressure off them and you.

Undervalued

Polarbeary wrote: »

I fully appreciate they have a business to run and that I'm fully replaceable. But I can see them using this as an excuse for them to make me fail my probationary period.
(

Well they don't actually need an excuse during the first two years!

So called probationary periods are meaningless from this point of view, although they might possibly entitle you to certain contractual benefits if you "pass".

TELLIT01

yvonne13 wrote: »

Yet you manage to be online all day looking and posting on here.......

Where's your evidence for a statement like that? He's made 10 postings here in the past 2 weeks. Hardly 'online all day'.

Polarbeary

TELLIT01 wrote: »

Where's your evidence for a statement like that? He's made 10 postings here in the past 2 weeks. Hardly 'online all day'.

Thank you!

Lying in bed all day occasionally looking here is different to working. I'm ill - I don't have to stare at the four walls all day!

Some people are very judgemental. Most of us will too ill to work at some point.

Thanks for the advice here. I've decided my health comes first - can't magic myself better. Having a full week off and working half days from home next week. They seem okay with it.

yvonne13_2

Polarbeary wrote: »

Thank you!

Lying in bed all day occasionally looking here is different to working. I'm ill - I don't have to stare at the four walls all day!

Some people are very judgemental. Most of us will too ill to work at some point.

Thanks for the advice here. I've decided my health comes first - can't magic myself better. Having a full week off and working half days from home next week. They seem okay with it.

That's odd as you posted today at 3:30pm on another thread that you suffer from cronic illness yet you can manage to get out of your bed to go to the gym 2 times a week.