Dr has advised me not to go back in September (teacher)

[IrisJoy]

I have just had an appointment with my consultant. They have advised me extremely strongly not to return to my school in September. I am a primary school teacher who has had a lung transplant.
I don't know why I am writing this really. Maybe it's a wwyd? Or would you judge me for not returning.
Unfortunately it's a new job so the school don't know me. I feel that I would be letting them down terribly. Especially as I don't know when it would be safe to go in.
I am wondering whether I need to resign from a job I haven't started. I don't know if I would be paid. I hope not in a way as I feel bad enough as it is.
I have emailed the head and I am waiting for her to get in contact.
It's so hard for a lot of people to understand,as the government are so adament that shielding has ended. Tbh I would be the same if I was 'healthy'.
Just after a few wise mumsnet words I suppose....

@IrisJoy

Consultant has said they are happy to write and say it isn't safe for me to be in a school. Be honest, would you judge me though?

Teacher here. I wouldn't judge you at all.

And if anyone did, screw them. The most important thing is your health.

Listen to your consultant and don't feel bad about this. it isn't your fault there is a pandemic on.

So, when I speak to the head my Oman is this: I am going to ask her if I can remain unpaid so that they can use the money to help with paying for a supply. If she can't legally do that I will tell her that anything at all I can do from home in terms of marking, planning, online learning etc. Is no problem at all. I will also offer to resign if that's better for the school. Does that sound reasonable

Yes, sounds incredibly reasonable. You are doing absolutely everything you can to make this work for them, even to your own detriment. They would be mad to let you go.

You have a contract, in employment law there is no requirement for there to be a written or signed contract, a verbal contract is binding.

Also you shoukdnt be on unpaid leave if you aren't signed off, you should be on paid medical leave. As in you are fit to work, but the school can't make the workplace safe so you are medically suspended. OH should be able to recommend reasonable adjustments.

I work in education for an LA. I'm assuming your new job is a maintained LA school rather than an academy (which may have different terms and conditions).

In a maintained school,you will be entitled to sickness pay. There will be an attendance management policy that you, the school and LA will follow.
The school most likely will be insured for absence. This will cover the cost of supply.
Seek advice from your teaching union.
You shouldn't need to take unpaid leave.

You haven't tried to play the system in anyway, you were appointed before this all started. You seem very reasonable. I was a HT and would appreciate your concerns and commitment, I would want to work with you as part of my staff.
As the HT,I and governors are responsible for your health and well-being.

Of course you shouldn't be put at risk in school. This could be life or death for you and although I'm passionate about education it sits second to your health.

@IrisJoy - just reminding you that there is more advice on here. Stay well!

Hi @IrisJoy I am reluctant to send my younger 2 kids back because I am at a huge risk of catching Covid from them due to my lung problems, and being a single mum, I have no one else to care for my children should something happen to me, so no I would not judge you but completely understand.

@sananbaz

Your health comes first. I would listen to the doctor, not go in and wait for a response from the headteacher. They will hopefully give you options which you can ask for union support if you are worried about what they are offering. I've lost a parent and a friend to covid, trust what your doctor is telling you to do xx

Oh I am so sorry for your loss, that's truly heartbreaking.

You need to be careful how you handle this.
You have been offered and accepted a job. So you are employed.
That means they can not withdraw the job offer, nor can they suggest you resign. If you offer she should turn that offer down.
She can not stop you resigning and if you choose to she should give you time to think that over and be sure it is what you want.
You are entitled to sick pay - which will depend on how long you have been in continuous employment in terms of how long you get full pay.
If you are signed off sick you should not offer to work from home and she should not let you.
I would seek advice from your union. You need to protect yourself. She will have had advice from HR at the LA.

Just resign. Everyone knows where they stand then and the school can organise a replacement teacher for the children.

I assume your consultant also told you this will massively impact any job prospect in any field, or was it just teaching you can't now do?

Sorry I've not really had time to read through the whole thread.

No I wouldn't judge you - clearly your health comes first.

I'm confused though how you're new, don't know them but you're employed and have just had a lung transplant? Or is the lung transplant in the past?

Personally (but I appreciate this is just me) I wouldn't expect to get paid for a job I'm not doing. I would resign and go and find another job I can do remotely in order to keep me safe. This could go on for years.

@Girlyracer

Just resign. Everyone knows where they stand then and the school can organise a replacement teacher for the children.

I assume your consultant also told you this will massively impact any job prospect in any field, or was it just teaching you can't now do?

Terrible advice.

You have been offered a job. You have accepted. Once your contract is signed you can discuss reasonable adjustments based on the pandemic. You had a transplant and that isn’t a barrier to teaching. The school cannot refuse to employ you because of ill health but they can dream up another excuse not to issue a contract if you mention it at this stage.

Legally you are perfectly entitled to accept this job. And you would be crazy not to.

@IrisJoy

I would have thought that too *@livelovebehappy* when this all started and I spoke to my head then and let her know I was shielding I offered to step back from the job and let them find someone else. She said that as they had made an offer they are legally obliged to stand by it. Now I know I won't be in I will offer that again (as I assume she still can't legally do it that's why I was talking about 'resigning'). In a way I think that would be easiest all round, although it w u kd worry me about getting a job again in the future, if it would put employers off.

Get advice from a union. Don’t offer to resign or have no pay. Sickness pay is limited and there is a system in place. You don’t need to make grand gestures! If you are treated well you will be loyal to the school in the future. It’s in their interests to support you.

It might be terrible advice, but morally......poor kids having to put up with stand in teachers. Not every parent wants that for their kids. Move on OP.

@Girlyracer

It might be terrible advice, but morally......poor kids having to put up with stand in teachers. Not every parent wants that for their kids. Move on OP.

Stop being so selfish.

Can’t believe you would pressure someone into unemployment to avoid the minor inconvenience of a temporary teacher.

Parents really can be utter prats. Would you quit your job if you became ill, so as not to inconvenient clients?! You must have some serious wealth behind you.

Ignore her Op. Listen to the lovely head teacher earlier in the thread.

Perhaps you should offer to fund a post at the school @Girlyracer? Money seems to be no object for you!

Not what the parents would want for their kids. Honestly. I’ve heard it all. Who’d be a teacher?!!

As everyone has said, put your health first. Get advice from your union and then speak to the head. I’d be trying to negotiate working from home if it’s at all possible, not going straight in with volunteering to give up your salary. I’m a fellow shielded and plan to work from home (which has meant basically losing one of my jobs) until there’s an effective vaccine or until the virus threat level has come down from 3 to 1.

@Girlyracer

It might be terrible advice, but morally......poor kids having to put up with stand in teachers. Not every parent wants that for their kids. Move on OP.

Why should the OP care what a parent like you thinks? Note that I'm saying "parent like you" as I wouldn't lump all parents in the same category as someone like you. Her top priority should be herself and her health.

Personally (but I appreciate this is just me) I wouldn't expect to get paid for a job I'm not doing. I would resign and go and find another job I can do remotely in order to keep me safe. This could go on for years.

No, it can't 'go on for years' either. The attendance management policy includes clear time scales for sickness absence. Regular meetings will also take place between the HT, staff member and LA HR to plan and review a return to work.
Overtime, following the policy timescales, there will be a decision made around if the employee is fit to hold down this job.
If COVID is prevalent then the Op might have to resign, but if COVID is the issue and this has gone, the Op will be fine to return.
In the meantime, if other working arrangements can't be made (WFH for instance) the school insurance will pay for cover...that's what it is there for.

@Girlyracer

It might be terrible advice, but morally......poor kids having to put up with stand in teachers. Not every parent wants that for their kids. Move on OP.

Constantly changing supply teachers are a fact of life for the next couple of years under the government's current plans. If you don't like it, take it up with them.

People need to be able to separate the 2 issues in their minds.

1. Children without a permanant teacher = school responsibility to arrange and sort out. Not responsibility of individual sick teacher to sort out.
2. Individual teacher with serious health risk = personal responsibility to follow medical advice. School responsibility to follow procedures re sick pay, working from home etc and meet obligations to employee. School responsibility to have a plan in place to manage such situations for the school and carry it out.

Essentially, it is on the school to sort it out, not the individual teacher ie Op. We can all be sympathetic towards the school having another challenge on their hands and sympathetic towards the children impacted, but those sympathies do not override the rights and entitlement of the teacher to be able to follow the medical advice given and to be part of the legally binding employment rights and entitlements to pay and adjustments.

Op needs to be co-operative, open with information and willing to consider adjustments the school can offer. Being pro-active in discussions that look for ways to make this work, in terms of possibly carrying out some tasks at home etc also will put her in a positive light and mean she is helping the school. However, it is not on her to find a solution or alternative teacher or to fund it by suggesting unpaid leave or that she resign. To be honest, these would be the actions of a martyr and won't actually help, although Op clearly feels a sense of responsbilty and need to deal with the consequences, which actually does not lie with her, but with the school.

Society, including children in schools have all be impacted negatively by Covid. We have to live with that and organisations have to manage the ongoing consequences of it. The onus does not lie on individuals who have illnesses related to Covid or impacted by it to provide the solutions aand organisations such as schools have responsibilities towards both their staff and the children they teach and need to find ways to meet them, however hard it might be. Processes are already in place laying out how to respond to these situations and timescales etc...it really doesn't lie with the individual sick employee to come up with a solution and sacrifice themself.

Everything WombatChocolate said.