Work related stress - contact with employer

[ElizabethG81]

Hi,

I've been to my GP this morning and have been signed off for 4 weeks with work related stress. I've never been signed off before so don't know how to handle it with my manager. I phoned in sick this morning and was vague about what was wrong, saying I'd update them after my doctor's appointment. They know I'm stressed, most people there are, but they don't know quite how bad I've been feeling as I'm quite a private person and have just been putting a brave face on it while at work.

Anyway, I obviously now have to tell them that I have the sick note - do you think it's acceptable to send an e-mail to my manager? I broke down in tears as soon as I started talking to my GP, and I'm crying again now just writing this. I really don't want to be crying down the phone to my manager. Is an e-mail OK?

Longer-term, I'm seriously considering resigning. The way I feel right now I never even want to go back, but I know I have to give myself a bit of time to think it through.

Any advice appreciated x

[Newtothevillage]

Sorry to hear you're having a hard time

Is there an HR department that you can go through rather than your direct boss? A quick phone call to them and then a follow up email would usually be enough where I work.

[Stinkersmum]

Email is absolutely fine. Scan in the sick note too. This is what I did when I was signed off work - signed off with 'severe depression caused by work related stress'. Also put on beta blockers and 40mg of citalopram. My doctor did advise me that the longer you're signed off, the less likely you are to return. I didn't return. In fact I ended up leaving with a compromise agreement and a healthy 5 figure sum because the company totally failed to manage the issue that caused the stress/depression. You and your empower need to remember that the Health and safety act covers MENTAL health as well as physical health and they have an obligation to you to fix the problem. If they can't/won't, then constructive dismissal is what you're looking at. Sorry for the long post/rant. Good luck

[Stinkersmum]

Employer, not empower. ...

[justcrazy]

Hi, sorry to hear you're having a hard time but well done for recognising it and seeking help. I would email as I have done in the past, just say sorry that its an email but you are finding talking hard at the moment.

I have just recently resigned from my job due to depression and work related stress after I had returned from a long absence of sick but felt that I was heading backwards and now I have resigned I feel so much better.

Hope you start to feel better soon

[ElizabethG81]

Thanks for your responses, I've sent an e-mail. I feel like resigning right now but will probably wait a week or so to see how I feel. It's the kind of sector where there will always be stresses and I just don't think I can or want to handle it anymore.