Any HR experts? Sick leave question

[Godivehadenoughalready]

I’m currently really struggling with anxiety and depression and it’s got to the point where I can’t function well at work. I constantly feel tearful, anxious, my brain can’t seem to focus at all and I live I in fear of fucking up. It’s horrible. I’ve used up a lot of my leave to avoid high pressure meetings where I may be called on to produce work or present projects to the senior team.

I’ve got no history of this at all with work and have been with my company for 4 years, with very little sick leave. Nobody knows how I’m feeling at all.

Basically I want to take some time off to relieve the pressure and have been to see my GP, who is happy to write me a sick note.

My question is, is this going to go on my records, and if so, how bad does this look? I’m desperate to find another job (as my current role is a major source of stress) but I don’t want to ruin my chances for the sake of 2 weeks off.

Also, can I just tell HR about my sick note or should I go through my manager? I’m not sure how it all works.

Thanks for any advice.

You need to look at your own company's sick leave policy and procedures.

Eg at my work, all of this would go through the line manager. HR would support the line manager for anything beyond the usual like occupational health assessment.

I am not in HR and don't know how much it varies in different workplaces.
I work for the NHS. We self-certify for the first few days then send in a sick note to the manager. The sickness is recorded and you have a back to work discussion when you return to talk about how the workplace/ the manager can help and if you need any further support. I don't think 1 episode of 2 weeks off sick would look bad if you haven't had a lot of other sickness. I think your reference for a new job might include how much time you have had off sick but not the reasons. I am very rarely off sick but it is not unusual where I am for someone to be off for a couple of weeks (probably often with stress/ anxiety/ depression)
I also wanted to say that regardless of the answer to your question, you are doing a really sensible thing. Life is about more than work and your mental health is more important than the job (this is very hypocritical of me because I should probably be telling myself the same thing). Hope you feel a bit better soon and good luck with the search for a new job.

Do you mean would this go on your sickness record? If so, then yes it would. Many prospective employers will ask about it as part of a reference, but not all. Often they will ask for the number of days and instances.

Could you speak to your current workplace about anything which can be put in place to help? I am sure they would rather that than have you off sick and it would also be better for you than returning after two weeks to find nothing has changed.

Also to add I agree with @happypotamus that speaking to your GP and prioritising yourself over your job is the right thing to do.

Thanks everyone for your replies. The thought of telling anyone at work fills me with dread to be honest. I hate the thought of being judged or badly thought of. I’m also quite private at work and the idea of people knowing stuff about me feels awful. I work in a very male environment, my colleagues are getting younger and younger and I suppose I feel I don’t have many allies as it is. This will just make it worse.

I recognise I need to open things up though. And am definitely not coping. Just terrified of blowing my chances of moving on and being stuck there. Or being put on some sort of managed or assessed programme when I come back.

You would only need to tell one person, your line manager. I am sure the reason you are off sick should be kept confidential. The line manager will have to know because it will be on the sick note. If any of your colleagues ask why you were off, just say you were unwell and don't elaborate or say something vague like you had an infection or whatever. I am very lucky to have a lovely, very supportive manager who has discussed this with me in case I do ever decide to be sensible and take some time off but don't want anyone else to know why.

Thanks Happypotamus. You are right, there is no need for anyone else to know. I can imagine my line manager would probably tell a couple of her colleagues but maybe I need to be a bit more 'so what' about it.

I'm so tired of all the anxiety I just want to let go of it all and not care.

It would depend on your companies sickness procedure really OP. In the first instance most of the time you would have to call in to your line manager or duty manager (no emails or texts etc unless your company allows this). You can self certify for 7 days after which you would drop in your doctors certificate/re-call your manager to update them. Your line manager/ HR (if you have them) will have to know the reason for absence and will see the doctors note anyway. They will require it in order to process your sick pay.

If you were off a considerable amount of time you could generally expect to be called/invited by post to a welfare meeting, offered a phased or supported return to work etc (reduced hours at first for example).

It doesn't 'look bad' to be off sick, yes a record would be made of it in terms of sick days used and it would be on your personnel file in that respect. Most disciplinary action re:sickness stems from hitting company triggers which are usually based on separate instances of sickness ( say, 3 or more separate instances in a 6 month period). To that end I'd suggest staying off as long as you need to to get well, as a return to work and then another period of sickness would be more likely to hit a trigger for further action. Other than that not a great deal will happen so long as your companies procedure is followed. There is no reason it should impinge on you finding another job.

It sounds like you would really benefit from the time off OP, it's important to look after yourself. What other people might think does not trump that

Thanks don'tgobacon. Hadn't thought about the separate sickness incidents thing but yes, that makes sense.

I was thinking of just going in straightaway with a GP note rather than self-cert as it seems to have more weight.

I'm sure I'm right in saying that future employers wouldn't be able to ask WHY you were off sick, they tend to just ask for the number of days. for you op, I've been there. I was signed off sick at my GPS insistence due to work related stress and anxiety but I did get another job, there is hope