sickness rights

[southeastastra]

hi i'm hoping someone could help me out with some advice for my sister.

she has been in hospital for the last couple of weeks and is now home, but her recovery period is likely to be a few months at the min.

her manager is harassing her to see the co dr and is even booking her on courses, surely this isn't on?

[Bauble99]

I'm fairly sure that a company can ask for an employee to be seen by a company doctor. Seems a bit OTT if she has a note/discharge letter from a hopsital, though.

Not sure about the courses thing. Sounds like a waste of time and company money to be booking these for her If she's had an op, has she been given any post-op instructions in writing by the hospital?

[Bauble99]

You need flowerybeanbag.

[bossybritches]

Make sure her letter from the hospital has been snet to her GP so he/she is up to speed, then get a sick note for work covering her for at least 2 months with a review date of XXX. Write a letter to work (without details unless she wants to share them) stating the 2 months off & enclosing the GP's certificate. Say she will consider seeing the company doctor at that point if she feels she needs to in order to plan her return to work. She should politely refuse to discuss it & state in the letter that as she will not be up to courses, maybe it could be passed on to someon else & discussed on her return.

They should not be ringing her to discuss work issues (other than a welfare call) & certainly not to hassle her.

What does her contract say about OH issues?

[Bauble99]

Or bossybritches.

[southeastastra]

thanks bossy that's very helpful. what do you mean by OH

[southeastastra]

lol bauble! it's the local council. that'll explain the time wasting courses

[ruddynorah]

ocupational health. company doctor/nurse.

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Difficult to say without knowing what's wrong with your sister, but a request for an employee to be seen by the company doctor is standard particularly with an absence this long.

I am assuming if courses are being booked it's not anything as clear cut as a broken leg or whatever, in which case your sister's manager needs more information.

A visit from the company doctor will provide the manager with information on how your sister's illness can and should be managed. The report may or may not give an indication of when the doctor would expect her to be ready for work, how her return to work should be managed (ie should it be gradual, or whatever) and may go some way towards getting her manager off her back at bit. If these courses are not appropriate or possible, the company doctor will tell the manager that.

It is very likely that your sister's contract or the staff handbook includes the company reserving the right to request (make) an employee see the company doctor in the event of absence like this. It should not be seen as a negative thing. The ringing up and harassing about courses or whatever is not appropriate but seeing the company doctor is normal, appropriate and should also be helpful. It is also reasonable of the company to ask this, particularly if they are paying any sick pay. It also enables them to plan any temporary cover they may need or similar.

I would advise your sister to see the doctor. She can see the report made before it goes to the employer, and can use the opportunity to emphasise what is and isn't appropriate, what contact she would or wouldn't like during her absence (some people want discussions about work to keep them in touch, others want minimal contact and/or only personal welfare discussions), and to discuss concerns she may have.

[southeastastra]

thanks flowery, the ridiculous thing is that she only works part time and she has no work booked in for 4 weeks anyway.

i'm very angry that she's being harrassed. she's had a dvt.

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Her manager is not behaving appropriately, obviously. Not to excuse his (is it a him?) behaviour, but I expect he is actually ignorant of what having a dvt actually means, and is panicking a bit about the prospect of having someone off for a long time.

I really think a chat with the company doctor would be a good idea. Obviously the doctor will know about dvts and he/she will do a report which will go to your sister's manager. This will give him proper information about what this actually means for your sister's capacity to work., probably a rough idea of how long it will be, and, as I say, could also include a recommendation of how her absence and contact are managed.

for your sister

[ruddynorah]

it may be that, like my work courses are booked up maybe 6 months ahead so he's planning ahead, wondering just how long your sister will be off, whether to book her on doesn't want to leave her out etc.

[southeastastra]

the manager is a she flowery.

thank you for your advice i'll direct her to this thread. i do the same work as my sister too so know what's involved.

we both hate working for the council. think this will be the straw that will break the donkey's back for both of us!

thanks again for your advice. mn has been so helpful in the past few weeks for me with regard to my sister's situation .

[Bauble99]

That's true, ruddynorah. Same for us as courses get booked up quickly.