Signed off with "low mood" but still working second job

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As far as I can work out, following HR advice this is OK. Our work is high stress, the other job is a minimum wage "little" p-t job . HR are saying it's possible to be signed off but still able to do the less stressful job. where there's no sick pay

The problem is the discontent it's causing among colleagues. They know she's working and they don't believe she's ill enough to be away from work and are fed up with covering her. FWIW, the low mood is caused by something in her personal life and colleagues know that, she told them.

There is also a strong suspicion that she might be picking up extra hours at the second job with Christmas approaching, but that's only rumour.

So, up shot the, employer has done everything it should, certificates, OH referral etc but it's causing issues among the staff. Obviously they can't be told anything that's done anyway.

Does anyone have any advice on how to manage the staff who are working? We do loads of work on staff wellbeing and managing MH, which means staff are pretty well informed on these matters but they're still finding this one hard to take.

Off for three months by the time current fit note expires

I would be very surprised if that was ok tbh

Sounds like fraud to me as you're either fit for work or you're not. If she is fit enough to work another job her fit not should have conditions on it where your workplace could aim to make amendments ie, phased return, restricted duties, more support...but if you post in Employment section someone will be able to advise you better.

There's ladies on there with strong HR backgrounds.

I don’t see how someone can recuperate fully if they’re working, and I suspect that will be the issue people have. I have seen someone investigated many many years ago for helping a friend on a market stall whilst signed off sick from their main job. She claimed it helped, but they argued it was work. She definately was stressed during the investigation.

You can be signed off sick from one job but fit to work another, it depends on the role and duties etc.

If this were a physical job the answer would be more obvious. Imagine she had broken her leg, but one job involved a lot of standing and walking, whereas the other only involves sitting down.
In this case one job is mentally hard and stressful, whereas the other is not.

I think you should speak to the staff and tell them that they have to go by HR decisions but if they are having problems due to being short staffed that is another matter and you will take it up with HR and try to obtain more cover. It may be worth bringing the way staff feel it is unfair up with HR though if you think they may sympathise, perhaps this will encourage them to provide adequate cover for the sick staff member.

Just from a MH point of view, it would be better for her low mood to be doing some work than to be doing nothing at all.

I don't understand why any of this is her colleagues' business though. Surely it should all be confidential?

Where I work you can.onmy do this with your managers permission.

But why are the other members of staff aware she's signed off sick and for what reason? Surely that's confidential.

Like someone said above - she could have broken her leg which means she would be able to do an office role with her leg up but not work in a gym. In which case that would be fine so thinking the same logic should be applied here.

We have this situation with a colleague at work. However we are the 'PT' job. She's signed off her main job with stress, but the second job helps her improve mental health (think 3rd sector) so she's been given the ok to continue.

Also know of a colleague who was signed off from one computer based job with a broken hand, but was allowed to continue in her PT job as an evening youth worker.

I think if mental health was thought of in the same way as physical health, there would be less problems with this sort of situation.

I said in my OP that other staff know because she told them, or at least she told a couple of them and her "friends" discussed it with others.

A GP note simply means that you are unfit to do the role you are currently employed to do. It’s doesnt mean you have to be bed bound.

It none of her ‘friends’ at works business. And they need to be told that policy is being followed, and that’s that.

My only concern would be the impact the second job would have on her recovery. Although this might be positive.

I.e. a doctor or nurse signed off with stress/depression, but who walks dogs for the blue cross on the weekend could actually aid recovery, in a therapeutic way.

My advice on how to manage the other employees would be to tell them that it is confidential and you cannot and will not be discussing it.

Manage them to mind their own business.

Wow.

My husband has a very serious illness that you can't see. He is off one job and working the other, because both jobs are different and affect his condition differently, which is why this is perfectly legal.

You tell them it is confidential and you try to make it a more supportive environment.

FWIW, the low mood is caused by something in her personal life and colleagues know that, she told them.

^So her personal issue means she can’t work one job but can work another? She is taking the piss. No wonder her colleagues are annoyed. I would be too

In our place our policies state that if you are off sick you cannot conduct a second job without express written permission from the CEO. There have been several occasions where people have faced disciplinary proceedings for abusing sick pay and dismissed.

Are her colleagues doing her work and would rather she was replaced? If they are carrying extra workload and stress as a result of being short-staffed, then management should address that.