Signed off with stress unsure where I stand

spotchequer

I'm signed off with stress, I'd been too overloaded for way too long and unhappy in one of my jobs (I have two very different jobs) on top of some caring responsibilities for disabled family members which both jobs are aware of.

My main earning job is a very stressful role working with children and has changed a lot in the last couple of years, to the point that it is not anything like it used to be. I now spend my two separate days off each week doing work/worrying about work I need to do for it. I would also see a lot of emails on my days off asking that xyz be done by dates that same week when my next working day wasn't till after that which has been adding to it.

I spoke to my line manager a few weeks ago and said I was struggling and feeling like I was drowning with some extra duties I'd been given this year and they said they'd try and find someone else to take the extra thing on. He wasn't surprised I was finding it too much to fit in. 

Then a short time ago my stress and exhaustion levels reached breaking point and the doctor signed me off with stress. I've got counselling due to start in a week.

After some serious thought I've now handed in my notice there though by the time my note finishes I'll still have 8 weeks notice to work and I'll do my best to do that though mainly it will be hard because of questions the children will as about why I've been off and then I'll have to tell them I'm going.

My quandry is I'm not feeling great rattling round at home over-thinking, it's not doing my feelings of depression any good and in an ideal world I'd like to try in a week or two to go back to my other job - that is non-demanding, just two days a week and everyone very supportive and still wanting me to come to their xmas party etc and involve me. I feel like it would help me, but I don't know if I'm allowed to be at one job and not the other? 

Does anyone have any experience of this or can signpost me to info relating to this? TIA.

Sandtree

Fit notes aren't job specific however a doctor can say you may be fit for work in certain circumstances/excluding some tasks. The examples typically given however are physical injuries where you may be fine for sitting at a desk but no good for working on a building site.

If you want to return to the one job you'd need to be open with them that you are doing so against the advice of the doctor (we know how these things are really but its technically whats happening) as this may have an impact on them/their insurance should something happen to you in that time.

The Doc may issue a revised fit note mentioning you can do part time/low stress work but that'd need to go to both employers and each would be entitled to consider if they can accommodate that.

elsien

My other question would be why you are working and checking emails on your non-working days? Just don’t. You won’t get any thanks for it and all it’s doing is making your stress worse. 

If some idiot is messaging you with requests to get things done before you are back in work then that’s their problem  not yours. By picking up the slack in your days off you encouraging them to make unreasonable requests. 

I know that’s not what you asked, but I’ve been in your position - learn from your experience so you set more boundaries in any future jobs.