Seriously ill sister in hospital work situation

[Hannahgirl]

Hi first time poster ( kinda had an account ages ago)
My sister is currently in hospital with sepsis following appendicitis. Her work are being complete dicks !! I called them to explain the situation but despite that they keep on calling her asking when she will be back at work. Sending her blunt messages such as i guess you will be off all week then. The cherry on the cake was when one of her staff asked her for some hoilday days next week!!! She works for a big organisation with people above and under her.
I feel so helpless just now :(

Has she got a formal sick note from a doctor? Don’t get me wrong, her employers sound like dicks, but getting the paperwork might help.

Yes i sorted that today

I'm really sorry she's so ill and I hope she recovers quickly. Its so stressful for close family to I hope you're getting some tlc yourself.

If she's a member of a union I'd consider involving them if the sick note doesn't work.

That’s horrendous and the last thing she needs. Can you involve her and explain that she is seriously ill abs any additional stress will impact her recovery )and ergo lead to her being off longer)

Bloody awful but not shocking I'm afraid op

A lot of bosses seem to want us all to literally slave ourselves to the bitter end for them

We get paid a salary in exchange for a certain amount of hours work a week not to be abused when ill and not in work but hospital

Glad you have a sick note sorted and I would ring the company boss tomorrow first thing and tell them unless they all leave her alone to recover you will be making a formal complaint about their company behaviour and reporting them

How awful

I hope your sister recovers peacefully

I think I would be contacting her gp to ask if they can confirm with hospital and issue a sick note from the day she went into hospital to an estimated future date. And ask if you can pick it up so that you can send it to her work or if they can send it directly. Then contact her work in writing (harder to deny)
To say I’m writing on behalf of my sister (name) who is a (Job title ) in ( location)
She is seriously ill, in hospital with ( condition) and likely to be there for a while as she is very unwell. Give details of GP note
She is finding it very distressing to be contacted by staff and colleagues who don’t seem to understand just how unwell she has been. You’re advising then that she won’t be responding messages or calls fir the duration of her stay in hospital and she will be in touch in due course with an update when she is a bit better. Then get her to turn off her phone or block them

Cross posted to see she now has a sick note.

Email or call them and lay on the line exactly how ill she is, and that she is in no position to receive any work calls or field emails about holidays or anything else.

Tell your sister to not answer calls from work (she's in hospital ffs, and I'm sure the people in adjoining beds can do without listening to her work calls) and to not open work emails.

Turn the phone off.

OP, please ensure you keep a copy of any documentation you share with your sister's work and also record (digitally or in writing) any conversation you have with them. Ensure any communication is clear and unambiguous. In any calls ensure you know the full name of whoever you speak to and make a note of the date and time you spoke to them. All this in case your sister needs assistance from her union or, worse case, ACAS or a lawyer. Hopefully it won't come to that, but best be prepared. 🌹

If it’s a big organisation then the HR department will sometimes step in and remind managers of the sickness policy.
If she has a sick note then HR should be reminding people that she is not allowed to work and the company risks Health and Safety and Insurance issues if people keep hassling her.
She or you may need to send the sick note directly to HR with a message that she is to unwell to discuss work matters.

Jesus, your poor sister. I nearly died from peritonitis following a burst appendix, I was lucky it didn't develop into sepsis. As you say, she is seriously ill in hospital. Her work need to back the hell off. Like a PP said, she needs to turn her phone off and concentrate on recovering. I would then consider taking action against her employers.

Thanks they have backed off for now. Shes actually doing alot better today !!! Cant believe the change in her :)

A great step in the right direction @Hannahgirl! And good her work have backed off for now. I'd still let HR know she's been betting these calls though as it's definitely not fair on your sister. Is the mobile phone they've been calling on an office-supplied one? In which case she can just turn it off?🌹