Off work sick, being asked to complete work tasks

[RubyWho]

Hello all,

Can't work out if I am being precious or not. I'm off work today (due to side effects from new MH related medication). I let my boss know I wouldn't be in via email. Boss responded to said email with a list of tasks they wanted me to do today.

They aren't huge, more like 'please remind X Y Z to do this' and 'send out X to group B' etc. I've also been asking me questions about things I've forwarded onto them when I logged into my emails around 6am, and asking for clarification by COB today.

Boss is well aware of the medication I am on, why I am on it and the difficulties I have with it. I usually work around a 60 hour week (9 hours in the office M-F, and then the rest at home outside of core hours, at the weekend and such) so it's not as if I never do any bloody work!

Is this U of Boss? Or am I being oversensitive?

[RubyWho]

*They've also been asking me questions about things I've forwarded onto them, that should say.

[RedSkyAtNight]

If I was off sick unless entirely incapable, I'd expect to do things like cancel/reschedule meetings and delegate any urgent work.

So if it's tasks of that ilk (and they don't take more than a few minutes) I think it's fine. If it's more than that, then not fine.

[Nikephorus]

Depending what the side effects are I'd say it's entirely reasonable, particularly since you usually do some work at home. I'm assuming you're getting paid as usual and it's not a "sick = unpaid" day.

[Danceswithwarthogs]

Do you feel well enough to do these things? Is this pressure/demand causing you stress and possible further illness?

If so, fine to reply, I'm sorry, I'm not up to it/can you ask someone else etc. Otherwise the extra added pressure could possibly make you more ill in the long run. Is it a big company? Do you have a HR dept you could check in with and explain situation?

[RavingRoo]

He probably means well and doesn’t want you falling behind when you do return to work. I will often do work related stuff when I’m off sick as it needs to be done and if not I’ll get it in the neck (ultimate accountability is with me). But if you can’t do it, you can’t do it and so tell him that.

[RubyWho]

Thanks for your replies.
Side effects - I've not slept more than around two hours a night in five days, I've got a racing heartbeat, invasive thoughts and I am feel constantly gripped with fear and panic. I have a diagnosis for MH issues, and I am in therapy. I've been on meds for over a year now, but it's taken a lot of tinkering to find the right sort and dosage. I've been on my current dosage for around a week now.

Danceswithwarthogs - the pressure and worry around my job has caused (triggered?) my most recent epsiode of severe anxiety. It's bad enough that I can;t manage with therapy alone anymore hence the drugs. It's a medium-ish company with a massive HR department, though, so there is definite support there.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Set up an out of the office until x date message on your work email for starters.

[demirose87]

I don't think they are allowed to contact you if they know you are off sick. Not sure if this is correct for all work places but wherever I have worked, this has been their policy.

[RonSwansonsMoustache]

No way would I be doing work-related tasks if I was off sick!

Really surprised at these responses. Tell your boss you don’t feel well enough and that he’ll have to ask someone else as you’re off sick.

[Cloudyapples]

If your off sick then your OFF. Yi shouldn't be expected to do any work

[BigChocFrenzy]

I've never been asked to do anything whatsoever when off sick - and I've worked at umpteen places over the last 43 years
Isn't it breaking regulations to ask ? - other than to give the code /password if you've left something important locked up.

[RubyWho]

Thanks again, everyone. I am reasonably senior (well...ish, I guess I am middle management in seniority but I don't actually line manage anyone so go figure) which I think a lot of people in the company take to mean 'always at everyone's beck and call'.

I've had about three emails from Boss since posting this. I've ignored them.

[PebblesFlintstone]

This is one of the most annoying things about being a teacher - you are expected to rise up off your deathbed to send in planning and resources for the day.

In your case, especially as you are suffering with your mental health and work is triggering this, I would send a brief polite email saying that you are very unwell and can't complete the tasks.

[StarfishSeahorse]

You can’t work because you’re sick. It doesn’t matter what you’re sick with, if you’re sick enough to be at home then you’re too sick to work.

[RubyWho]

Pebbles - without wanting to out myself, although I am no longer a teacher, I do work in education (higher education). I know the rising from one's deathbed to plan and resource well...

[QueenOfTheSardines]

I think that off sick means off sick. No work.
In practice in my work where people are off as a poster upthread mentioned, if up to it, cancelling meetings is sometimes done and passing on anything urgent but to be honest if that doesn't happen no-one really minds.
Given that your issues are work related MH issues I think it is extraordinarily out of order for your boss to be doing this.

Also re the above - people do the meeting cancelling etc if they feel up to it. Not because they are asked / told to. I have NEVER been in a job - and like another poster I've worked in quite a few different places in different roles- where anyone has asked me to do anything while off sick.

[ZenHeadbutt]

I don't think it's out of order either. Whether it's cheeky or not would depend on what they would say if you didn't do the tasks. If it's just a matter of doing a few quick emails then I would be happy to do them unless I was really incapacitated - however if it were a lot more work or things thst required a lot of thought then I would leave it until I felt better.

[mindutopia]

No, if you are sick, they can't expect you to work. If you are working from home because you aren't feeling great (I do this sometimes, without officially taking a sick day because I do genuinely feel well enough to do something but not a full on day with commuting, etc.), yes. But if you are taking sick leave, no.

I also work for a university and I've never been asked to carry on working on a sick day. It doesn't mean I don't sometimes depending on how sick I am, but usually I get shouted at (in a nice, well meaning way!) about it by my line manager when I return. For us, time off sick is time off sick.

[retreatwhispering]

I think that being off sick means that you shouldn't work at all. Can you work on an initial email notification to your boss for next time? Make it clear that complete rest is necessary and that you will not be checking emails until you are fit to work.

[AtlanticWaves]

I would cancel/rearrange meetings because if you're like me, no-one can see your diary so no-one can let people know. And it's annoying turning up for a meeting and no-one being there.

I have also done some urgent stuff.

However, I really do prioritise. I only do the essential minimum.

[thecatsthecats]

It's out of order to ask you to complete things when you're off work. Especially since work is causing this! A couple of weeks ago I did do a bit of work from home unwell, but it was very urgent, and doing the work voluntarily in my jammies for twenty minutes on the sofa was not going to make me any worse. Completely different to stress-related absence.

I had serious anxiety towards the end of a big project a couple of years ago, and ended up sending a pretty curt email to my boss because he didn't realise that my voluntary overtime didn't give him a right to prey upon the few times I got away.

[RubyWho]

Maryz, it hasn't. I have been 'up' since 6am (and awake since just gone midnight) stressing, panicking and worrying about work. My boss communicating with me has only made it worse.

I'm going for a walk, and leaving my phone at home. I hope that will help.

[pinkie1982]

You need to either do it or not do it but be clear.

Personally, I would reply with a 'I'm sorry but I am really not well enough' then put your out of office on stating that your inbox will not be monitored until you return to the workplace.

[mindutopia]

I would say the only thing I would do re: the above is to cancel meetings that are MY meetings. Like, I don't do admin tasks of cancelling other people's meetings. But if they were my meetings, I made them and would be leading them, or classes I was teaching where I was the sole lecturer, yes, I would be one to cancel and re-schedule them because I don't have a PA. I couldn't have students turning up to a lecture where no one would be there. But doing admin tasks for someone else they could do themselves, no.