OK - what do I tell my boss?

[Lifeissweet]

I am having a termination. I don't really want to go into the ins and outs of this. It is what is right for me and my family.

The problem is that the clinic only operates on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so I will need a day off work for this. I can't tell my boss what is happening (I work in a Catholic School). My conscience won't let me call in sick on the day. I want to give them warning enough to get in decent supply for the day I'm off.

So what do I say? I can't produce an appointment card without giving away what it is for and they usually ask to see proof of hospital appointments. What do I do?

Gynaecological problems - rather not go into detail?
Good luck with it all x

Explain to the hospital that you'd rather the card didn't say the detail - tell them you work in a catholic school?
Are all the staff in these schools catholic?

Just phone in sick and stop stressing about decent supplies. Such is life.

Thanks SPB. Not all staff are, no, but all senior staff are. I am not suggesting they are all intolerant and will judge me, but I still feel really very uncomfortable explaining knowing full well what their beliefs are and, even without the Catholic factor, I don't really want my boss knowing that about me. It's not something I've even told my friends or family (apart from partner, obviously). It's just too sensitive a subject.

or do as bamboo says :)

Yep - the difficulty I have with the calling in sick thing is that just before Christmas I had a catalogue of problems - my childminder got pneumonia and I had to take a couple of days off to look after DD, then I got Norovirus (which was going round school like wildfire) shortly followed by tonsillitis (I didn't take time off for that, but was fairly useless as I lost my voice). I feel like the flakiest, most unreliable member of staff already without this!

"Gynaecological procedure requiring an outpatients appointment"? Few bosses would enquire further (especially men!) and it's not a lie.

Can the hospital provide a note that is suitably vague - eg from the OBGYN Dept, rather than Reproductive Health?

Minor gynaecological procedure and if they ask for more details say its a hysteroscopy and biopsy for period problems. Same length of procedure etc.

I had a termination last week and just told my employers I was having a gynae procedure.

They didnt ask for proof but the hospital did say they could provide proof of appt without giving the exact reason. They did say to ask a nurse before having the procedure.

Thanks, Mike, That's really helpful. I hope you're ok. Not fun is it?

I think I will do what you've done and hope he doesn't push for too much information. It's being done at a private clinic rather than a hospital and it's on Thursday. I don't actually have any kind of appointment letter/card to produce and not much time to ask for one if it is asked for. I will rely on his male embarrassment and hope he doesn't ask for evidence.