Sick leave

mellman01
mellman01 Member Posts: 5,306
Hi all I have been self certing when I have had flares this was agreed by HR many months ago but recently I have been told on the QT by a close friend who is lower manage that I should get a doctors certificate then there's not a lot they can do about if unlike self certing, it's odd but the company Doc mentioned sickness last time I saw him it's obvious they i.e. him and HR have been talking I wonder what they are planning for me, probably nothing nice.

Comments

  • mellman01
    mellman01 Member Posts: 5,306
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks delboy I'll follow your advice, I have seen my GP and he's happy for me to phone in for a sick note if I have a flare so that's a weight off my mind.
  • fulwoodowl
    fulwoodowl Member Posts: 10
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    If your workplace knows you have a condition that is likely to result in short term absences then they cannot, or should not, put pressure on you about having too much absence.

    An occupational health referral would help to cement the case with your work as they will have had it from an independant source, so if they make more noises, insist that they send you for an assessment.

    You won't be able to override the HR and company policy for sick pay and such so you will probably still have to be mindful of thinigs like that, but you cannot be dismissed (again in theory) for simply taking sick time which you have no control over.
  • oneday
    oneday Member Posts: 1,434
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    always remember to cover your back.....and the better you get at it..anticipate what they going to say and have an answer...........
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I started out like you, self cert for sick days off but was then referred to OH as I had hit the threshold of 20+ days off in a year. Turned out that the referral to OH was the best thing that could have happened at that time. as he gacve me alot of info. and advice.

    He advised me to always get a Med cert for any absence, and to make sure it stated on the cert that arthritis was the main reason I was off (plus whatever had led to me being off each time) eg. when off because of pain or fatigue doc put 'pain as a result of PA' or 'fatigue as a result of PA.

    I would strongly advise you to do the same. This will become more important to you as time goes by believe me.

    Definitely ask for an OH appointment sooner rather than later.

    The OH doc also told me that if you have med certs done in this way then over time under DDA a 'reasonable adjustment' would be that you should be 'allowed' 20days 'disability leave' in addition to normal annual leave entitlement; without the 20 days being counted as sickness absence. That's what I got after following his advice last year...

    OH docs vary a great deal in terms of their interest and advice...my employers now have a different OH firm contracted and the OH doc I've seen recently was not one bit helpful!

    It's a complicated business but you have to look out for yourself in the work place. good luck! iris x[/b]
  • ritwren
    ritwren Member Posts: 928
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I agree with all the above advice. It's a good idea to be referred to OH as they may be able to help with regard to HR or your managers giving you a hard time about being off sick.
    But be warned, some OH Dr's can give the impression that you'd be better off not working at all and may start to try to persuade you to consider taking medical retirement. This may sound reasonable in theory but when you look at how difficult it is to claim any sort of benifit ........ . :roll:
    good luck
    rita
  • mellman01
    mellman01 Member Posts: 5,306
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks all I am off right now signed off by my GP, he's put it down to OA pain he's not a bad chap I told him how things are at work so he's on my side. My OC health Doc is another matter he's just a bit odd and ask's really odd questions, although he has covered me under the DDA's last time he couldn't understand why I'm having so much pain, I said I don't either as it's the first time I have had OA so I'm in the dark as much as he only I'm having to deal with it from the inside!.
    Well I'm back in of friday so expect all the old snide remarks from my line manager,god I hate going in there these days really gets me down.
    Once agian thanks and have a good crimbo and new year you lot. :wink:
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    mellman01 wrote:
    Thanks all I am off right now signed off by my GP, he's put it down to OA pain he's not a bad chap I told him how things are at work so he's on my side. My OC health Doc is another matter he's just a bit odd and ask's really odd questions, although he has covered me under the DDA's last time he couldn't understand why I'm having so much pain, I said I don't either as it's the first time I have had OA so I'm in the dark as much as he only I'm having to deal with it from the inside!.
    Well I'm back in of friday so expect all the old snide remarks from my line manager,god I hate going in there these days really gets me down.
    Once agian thanks and have a good crimbo and new year you lot. :wink:

    Try to make the best of the few days you have off before you go back to work on Friday....are you sure you're well enough? how's your pain? ':|'

    I'm glad you've got a supportive doc... but why should he be surprised at the level of pain you're having because of arther? ':shock:' you do not need to justify it ':roll:'

    Try to keep your spirits up mellman! we will be thinking about you when you go back on Friday...don't let them get to you!!! they are just ignorant idiots.':x' iris x
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Amen to that delboy! iris x
  • mellman01
    mellman01 Member Posts: 5,306
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi dorcas and delboy thanks for the support your both right why should I have to justify my illness, I think I have done well to get this far problem is my home life is crap, I find I only have so much of a mobility allowance then I go into injury time, come a bit hard though when you can’t do such things as dog walking in case you set it off again god I really hate living like this.
    Thing is at worst all I do is limp when I’m walking I have tried a stick but when it’s active any pressure set it off, even from just standing after a minute or so that sickly ache starts to grows even after I have sat down normally lasts a long time after I have taken the weight off them. I also think that one problem is I am fairly mobile during the day it's the late evening when I pay for my day's actions. :roll: