Taking work calls whilst off sick

gwen80

nicechap wrote: »

By your behaviour before, you have already called in every day when you were off sick before.

The difference being I didn't have a dr's note when I was off sick before.

k3lvc

gwen80 wrote: »

I was imagining a scenario like last year where I spent all day every day on the phone and it was very stressful - there is a precedent...

Maybe you could tell me where I proposed shouting my rights? Knowing your rights and shouting about them are not the same thing, but why bother with inconvenient differences like that?

gwen80 wrote: »

Please do start to read posts before you reply. The answer to your first question is above - if you can be bothered to read it.

Your frustrations/attitude on here aren't doing you any favours. At the moment we're hearing one side of a story and that one side isn't coming across very well with you dismissing the simple advice given. If you behave like this with your employer I'm not surprised there's an issue that needs addressing.

Good luck with your operation but I'm out

gwen80

k3lvc wrote: »

Your frustrations/attitude on here aren't doing you any favours. At the moment we're hearing one side of a story and that one side isn't coming across very well with you dismissing the simple advice given. If you behave like this with your employer I'm not surprised there's an issue that needs addressing.

Good luck with your operation but I'm out

I'm out

I'm sorry my attitude hasn't come across very well, but it is incredibly
frustrating to ask for advice about issues then have assumptions and accusations being made against you (with no basis) when all you wanted was the answer to a simple question? To have your posts mis-quoted, mis-represented and otherwise twisted. In all honesty, the attitude of some on this board to read only half of what a poster has written and immediately jump on them spoils what should be a good place on the internet to seek advice.

Thanks for your well wishes on my operation. I'll seek advice elsewhere in future - the MSE boards aren't for me and that's just fine :-)

NeilCr

In response to your questions in your OP

Could I get into trouble if I don't answer her calls.

Well you don't have much employment protection as you have worked there for less than two years so, theoretically, at least, yes. It wouldn't seem reasonable to most of us to be doing that after a major operation but....

In terms of the self certification/drs note I think that has been answered. In my experience, anyway, it's quite unusual to be expected to call in on every day you are off sick - I don't know what your policy is on this (I think you are clarifying with HR?).

As to what I'd do in your situation. As well as the handover meeting I'd write out a short "where we are document" with comments on anything likely to come up while you're away. I'd also be clear that I was having a major operation and will not be able to be in contact for a while. The project does sound like your baby so - if you are anything like me - when you are feeling s bit better you may well want to find out how it's going

I wish you well with your operation

gwen80

NeilCr wrote: »

In response to your questions in your OP

Could I get into trouble if I don't answer her calls.

Well you don't have much employment protection as you have worked there for less than two years so, theoretically, at least, yes. It wouldn't seem reasonable to most of us to be doing that after a major operation but....

In terms of the self certification/drs note I think that has been answered. In my experience, anyway, it's quite unusual to be expected to call in on every day you are off sick - I don't know what your policy is on this (I think you are clarifying with HR?).

As to what I'd do in your situation. As well as the handover meeting I'd write out a short "where we are document" with comments on anything likely to come up while you're away. I'd also be clear that I was having a major operation and will not be able to be in contact for a while. The project does sound like your baby so - if you are anything like me - when you are feeling s bit better you may well want to find out how it's going

I wish you well with your operation

Thank you NeilCR - helpful advice!

Manxman_in_exile

Well I think I have more sympathy for the OP than many posters here. When I was at work I devoted 100% of my time to it because I was being reasonably well paid to do so. But when I was off ill, I was off ill, not working (even though I was being paid to be sick!)


If I had been recovering from abdominal surgery I would not have welcomed work-related calls from my managers. But neither would my managers have made them - their view was that nobody was indispensable and that any absence could (and would) be worked around.


Admittedly I worked in the NHS, but I did not have a wider team around me and I carried out a specific function pretty much on my own with almost no supervision. But if I'd been "run over by a 'bus" somebody else would have been told to take over my work from my extensive and detailed procedure notes. And in my time in the NHS I've been told to do that - you just get on with it (and earn brownie points!). If I'd have given several months notice of impending abdominal surgery my managers would have come up with some kind of succession/handover plan.


I don't know what the OP's "project" is, or their role in "supporting it", or why it has such "low visibility". Maybe it's not a project, maybe their role is insignificant, maybe the "project" is trivial. Maybe the manger was joking or speaking tongue in cheek (always open to misinterpretation) by suggesting they could always call the OP for help with the "project".


But - if the project is important to the business and the OP has an important role - I would suggest the employer (or in this case the manager) is taking an unacceptable business risk in not having a proper handover plan and thinking they can just 'phone the OP. What if the OP gets a hospital acquired infection (not unknown in the NHS!) and ends up in intensive care? (Sorry - don't want to scare you OP - but what if?).


Even if the employer is just a one man band (or even 20 men band), they need to sort this out. It was always drummed into me that "no-one is indispensable" (whether you are run over or you have to go into surgery). Somebody else has to be found to do your job - if it's important to the business.


OP - you may find this post interesting, but I'm afraid I don't know what your employment rights are. I just know what would (and did) happen in my trust.


(EDIT: Make as many procedural notes, flow charts etc as you can and attend the "handover" meeting your manager proposes. Get all the "sick notes" you need to cover your absence. I can't advise you to turn your work 'phone off - but if they start asking you work questions rather than enquiring pleasantly about your recovery - that's what I would have done).

Savvy_Sue

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.

The day after I crocked my shoulder, the doctor in the Hot Fracture Clinic at the hospital gave me a fit note signing me off for 8 weeks. No need to self-certify: I had a certificate for the whole time.

andygb wrote: »

Unbelievable question, and one which I would expect from an uncaring boss!
How the heck does someone know how how long they will be off after surgery.
Nobody "plans" to be off, but sometimes they cannot help it.

A sibling has just had surgery and was advised beforehand that they would need at least two weeks off work, so that kind of generic advice is often available prior to surgery.

I don't know if it helps, but I'd probably start any conversation along the lines of "I've done my best to document what needs doing with this project, and all the information is here, but I don't think I'll be able to handle phone calls. It could be difficult for me to recall exactly what I need to say if you have questions, so it really would be better to work through this beforehand."

Going back to my crocked shoulder, I had documented many of my procedures, but sadly no-one knew where to look for anything. The file on the shelf above my desk saying 'Office Manual' clearly wasn't obvious enough ...

slashlover

I had abdominal surgery last year and was told that I should be off for a week if everything went well. In my pre-op on the day of the surgery I was asked if I needed a doctors note and it was included for me in my post surgery 'pack'. Sent it into work and all was well. I did contact them after 4 days to say I was probably going to be back and after 6 days to confirm my return.

Didn't need to self cert as I they had my doctor's note in hand.

Could you remind them that after surgery, your brain will be a little loopy for at least the first few days so you probably shouldn't be relied upon to give accurate information anyway? There's also the chance that although it's day surgery, you may be kept in for longer than that and they should be prepared for that.

getmore4less

gwen80 wrote: »

Hi

I'm having surgery in August and my management have been aware of this since mid June. .......... 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'.

I think I would preempt the I am too busy to do handover.
On the last day that is far too late....

this needs a formal memo, identifiyin that you are going to be off for a minimum of X days and most likley will not be avaialble for at least Y of those and may be more depending how things progress

Write a detailed list of all projects you are working on and identify the goto person in your absence.

If some are team then it can be a list

note those that have no goto person and ask who should be picking up those projects to ensure a smooth handover.

if you can copy the stakeholders for the project(not so easy if external customers) and the bosses boss.

getmore4less

gwen80 wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. That's why I attend calls with the US after 5pm to support the business and so my colleagues with children can go home. That's why I've been working an extra 2+hrs a day to support some of my bosses work whilst she's been off work. Clearly I'm unreasonable to expect some support after surgery. My bad.

Calling me after surgery with the intention of enquiring how am I is fine. Please direct me to the post where I have said otherwise. My concern lies with my employers expecting me to answer work questions after surgery. And with all due respect, you don't know me and I'm nothing like your colleague.

That needs to stop leading upto your time off(like now)
Start handover of things so you can focus on the stuff that can be finished without over reaching.

Resist starting any new things that canot be completed before you are off and identify any that will be OK waiting till you get back start a pospone process setting expectation.