Are there any ‘rules’ when you’re signed off work?

[Inbedbynine]

I have problems with my neck, signed off until Thursday. Are you supposed to stay in your house? Are you ‘allowed’ to carry on about your business? I need to go to the post office, am I ‘allowed’ to do that or could I get in trouble?

There are no rules as such. You are obviously 'allowed' to go to the shops for stuff.

Don't be facebooking pictures on nights out, though, if you have co-workers as friends :)

Ha no chance of nights out! Yesterday stayed in but tomorrow I have to go out to a meeting at dc school but that’s tough as it’s important. I will walk to the post office but have to walk past my work place, if I drove they ‘could’ walk past my drive and see no car......

So I don’t have to be ‘house bound’

No you can get on with stuff. Just don't be seen doing anything that contradicts why you are off. E.g off with a back injury but seen lugging boxes.

I couldn't go abroad when I was off sick. I was definitely going anyway, so I had to make a miraculous recovery (!) sign back to work and then go abroad. The sunshine cured me in 24 hours

Ha going on holiday would be amazing! I’ll pop off to the post office then

Years ago I had someone’s report me to work because they ‘saw me out and about’ while I was signed off sick with a back injury (worked in healthcare) what they didn’t know was I had been to meet my manager for a catch up meeting following a Drs review and had taken the opportunity to get some food shopping at the same time as well as post some important documents at post office. I was also dosed up to the eyeballs on pain meds and diazepam so I could even leave the house for the essential appointments.

My company at the time said that, so long as you weren’t doing things that were equivalent to doing your job in terms of effort and risk to the reason you’re off sick, you were not expected to be housebound and in fact, ‘locking yourself away’ has been found to be bad for mental health and impact on physical recovery.

Thank you that’s made me feel better!