Phased return after work - confusion and anxiety

dekaspace1

I work part time so 2 or 3 days a week that make up to 35 hours over 2 weeks.

EDIT 2 : Update spoke to boss who realised their mistake and said I don't have to come back till after the correct date.

 

So the question now is basically is am I being a bit spoiled by thinking 2 days a week is too much? I.e I'd rather do 1 day a week.

amanda1024

do the fit notes have dates? either 'signed off until x date' or 'as of x date, signed off for 4 weeks'? if you don't feel well enough to return for 2 days/week yet, could you ask if the doctor can sign you off to work 1 day/week?

swingaloo

Thats not the doctors call though. The doctor can suggest a phased return to work but ultimately its down to the company to manage that.

Marcon

dekaspace1 said:

I work part time so 2 or 3 days a week that make up to 35 hours over 2 weeks.

EDIT 2 : Update spoke to boss who realised their mistake and said I don't have to come back till after the correct date.

 

So the question now is basically is am I being a bit spoiled by thinking 2 days a week is too much? I.e I'd rather do 1 day a week.

Curious turn of phrase. Why do you think 2 days a week is too much? If there are genuine health-related reasons for feeling you can't cope with that, then no, you're being realistic. On the other hand, if you just like the idea of having another day at home each week, then...!

LightFlare

depending on your job - it might be that your employer won’t agree to you only doing 1 day a week (instead or 2 or 3)

you need to have an open and honest discussion with them and be realistic In your expectations based on your health and capabilities 

dekaspace1

Marcon said:

dekaspace1 said:

I work part time so 2 or 3 days a week that make up to 35 hours over 2 weeks.

EDIT 2 : Update spoke to boss who realised their mistake and said I don't have to come back till after the correct date.

 

So the question now is basically is am I being a bit spoiled by thinking 2 days a week is too much? I.e I'd rather do 1 day a week.

Curious turn of phrase. Why do you think 2 days a week is too much? If there are genuine health-related reasons for feeling you can't cope with that, then no, you're being realistic. On the other hand, if you just like the idea of having another day at home each week, then...!

More like I was burning out in the past year to the point of MH drastically decreasing and after my accident I felt better than I had in years at least for the first month then started getting bad insomnia and dizziness.

Just had so much time yet I was still housebound until about 3 weeks ago when I had my cast removed but still not meant to be active i.e can go into garden but not meant to go far out house etc.

My job is very stressful, customer service so I can get a lot of very agressive/rude customers on top of the management has decided we have to take on extra work so imagine even double the workload than before as well as planning to getting rid of WFH, of course I wouldn't be in the office for a few months.

It's more a confidence thing, with my MH as it is I just need a slow return to work rather than not work at all, I could get signed off longer but don't want to unless I really need to because I can WFH, pre 2020 I would of been off for many months.

I didn't mean 1 day a week permanently like 1 full day for 2 weeks, then 1 and a half days for another 2 or 3 weeks rather than 2 half days week 1, 2 6 hour days week 2, and back to 8 hour days week 3, I know thats a lot to ask but wouldn't overwhelm me as much and still mean I would be working.

Did speak to my GP who asked me when I was next at the hospital I said not until next month but asked if I can at least get until end of April and they agreed and said if I need more time just contact.

Marcon

dekaspace1 said:

Marcon said:

dekaspace1 said:

I work part time so 2 or 3 days a week that make up to 35 hours over 2 weeks.

EDIT 2 : Update spoke to boss who realised their mistake and said I don't have to come back till after the correct date.

 

So the question now is basically is am I being a bit spoiled by thinking 2 days a week is too much? I.e I'd rather do 1 day a week.

Curious turn of phrase. Why do you think 2 days a week is too much? If there are genuine health-related reasons for feeling you can't cope with that, then no, you're being realistic. On the other hand, if you just like the idea of having another day at home each week, then...!

It's more a confidence thing, with my MH as it is I just need a slow return to work rather than not work at all, I could get signed off longer but don't want to unless I really need to because I can WFH, pre 2020 I would of been off for many months.

I didn't mean 1 day a week permanently like 1 full day for 2 weeks, then 1 and a half days for another 2 or 3 weeks rather than 2 half days week 1, 2 6 hour days week 2, and back to 8 hour days week 3, I know thats a lot to ask but wouldn't overwhelm me as much and still mean I would be working.

Did speak to my GP who asked me when I was next at the hospital I said not until next month but asked if I can at least get until end of April and they agreed and said if I need more time just contact.

It so often is. Returning to work after any sort of break (even a 'routine' holiday taken as part of annual leave) often feels a bit strange and stressful, especially if you have a demanding job.

I think you're getting into a level of micro detail which your employer probably isn't going to warm to, but have the discussion with them and see what they say. You'd have a stronger case if the shorter days would enable you to travel outside rush hour, especially if you rely on public transport.