Taking work calls whilst off sick

gwen80

Hi

I'm having surgery in August and my management have been aware of this since mid June. I hadn't seen anything being put in place to cover my absence so I raised it at my mid-year review this week. In particular, one project which nobody else in my team has visibility of. I support the project and just get on with it. I ask questions if I encounter something I'm not sure about, but otherwise I guess they trust me to manage it and let them know if there's a problem. I have been particularly concerned about this project and it's cover because of the visibility issue. After I raised my concerns, my manager agreed to put a handover meeting in the calendar for my last day in the office. Then she said 'but I'm not too worried because I can always call you. I know you'll have had an operation, but there's nothing wrong with your brain'.

This manager has recently been off work sick herself and took work calls because she refused to hand over responsibility for her projects whilst she was off. That was her decision, but now I'm not sure if it has some bearing on her expectations of me.

My problem with her comment is that it puts pressure on me to answer work questions when I don't know how I will feel after my operation. I suspect I'll want to be left in peace to sleep/rest and recover. I'm frustrated that having had time to plan, it's clear she hasn't planned and
now part of her plan is having me at the end of the phone.

I will be having a word with my manager this week along the lines of 'I know you talked about calling me with work questions whilst I'm off, but I really don't know how I will feel, so it's probably best to make sure you have the info you need before I go off'. However, if she still insists on calling, could I get in trouble for not answering?

Also, she was trying to tell me that I would have to self cert for the first 7 days even though I'll have a dr's note. Does this have any basis? I suspect she wants me to self cert so I have to call in every day...

Thanks in advance

G

DCFC79

Re self cert yes you self cert for the first 7 days, the drs note is used for longer than the 7 days.

Does this link help

TELLIT01

The practicality of being available to take calls is really down to recovery time after the operation i.e. if in pain I wouldn't be functioning properly and wouldn't want to take calls. If it was a situation like the one I had where because of physical limitations I couldn't attend work, I wouldn't have minded the occasional call. In fact it could have broken the day up a bit.
Specifically, my leg was in a full length brace for 6 weeks which meant I couldn't sit at a desk, even if I could have got to work. My brain was functioning OK. Had I been taking powerful pain killers it would have been a different matter.

gwen80

I'm having abdominal surgery. I've had the same surgery twice before (although not whilst I was with this employer) and I expect to be tired and in pain.

DCFC79

gwen80 wrote: »

I'm having abdominal surgery. I've had the same surgery twice before (although not whilst I was with this employer) and I expect to be tired and in pain.

If your not up to answering it turn your phone off or ignore it if you see its her calling.

FBaby

How long are you planning to be off?

Her wording implied that she could call you IF she required some urgent information, not that she would make a habit of calling you? Would that be so bad after say one week recovering? At worse you can just say you're not up to talking and you'll call her when you feel that you can.

Of course, you can take the approach of no contact whatsoever, but would you want to come back to a project where significant mistakes have been made just because you couldn't take a quick call?

gwen80

FBaby wrote: »

How long are you planning to be off?

Her wording implied that she could call you IF she required some urgent information, not that she would make a habit of calling you? Would that be so bad after say one week recovering? At worse you can just say you're not up to talking and you'll call her when you feel that you can.

Of course, you can take the approach of no contact whatsoever, but would you want to come back to a project where significant mistakes have been made just because you couldn't take a quick call?

I don't know how long I'll be off. The recovery time varies quite significantly depending on what is found.

Honestly, I don't want the pressure (now, up to or following my operation) that they are relying on me when I may not be up to it. My preference would be that work planned ahead to cover my absence and got the information they need before I go off.

maisie_cat

If you are not feeling up to answering calls, don't, but you will probably find that you are itching to get back to the project and not lose sight of progress.

pinkshoes

I think you are worrying over nothing.

If you feel well enough, answer the call, if not, don't. Get a second phone and give them that number.

gwen80

DCFC79 wrote: »

Re self cert yes you self cert for the first 7 days, the drs note is used for longer than the 7 days.

Does this link help

Surely you don't have to self cert if you have a drs note though?

gwen80

maisie_cat wrote: »

If you are not feeling up to answering calls, don't, but you will probably find that you are itching to get back to the project and not lose sight of progress.

Not really. I've struggled with my health and a demanding job for a long time. I don't intend to take the mick and I will go back when I can. However, whilst I am off - my health comes first.