Is this something you could get signed off sick for?

[SliverOfSiIver]

My DD has to attend court as a witness for the trial of a man who abused her (sexually and physically). The trial is taking place 150 miles from where she now lives and is scheduled to take 2 weeks during an extremely busy time of year at work, assuming it doesn't run over (which I suspect it might as there are multiple charges and victims). She works in hospitality so taking leave at that time of year is virtually impossible. Her work have said she can have the time off for the trial itself but they expect her back in as soon as it finishes which she is dreading - she wants to come home (to me) for a week to be looked after and recover and decompress before she goes back to her flat and work etc. Unfortunately this week is likely to fall over dates that are just not realistic to be allowed to take off in her line of work.

Can she ask her GP to sign her off sick with stress for 4 weeks, starting just before she travels to the location of the trial? DD seems to think not but I said I'd try and find out.

I imagine if I were going to have to go to the trial of a man who sexually assaulted me I would certainly be too stressed to work. I might well also be too anxious to work or just generally mentally unfit. I don't think many doctors would refuse to sign her off in those circumstances.

Yes, she could be signed off with stress, and sounds like she should.

I hope everything works out well for her.

I don't believe you can be signed off sick in advance.

But you can self certify as sick for 7 days so your daughter could tell work that she is suffering stress after the trial if she is (which would be understandable) and take a week off work that way - she will need to fill out a short form on her return to work. Any longer than one week, she would need to phone her doctor and explain how she is feeling. It is very likely they would be willing to give her what is now called a "fit note" for a longer period (previously called a sick note) for stress.

Absolutely she should get signed off in that circumstance. But I wouldn’t be off sick for the period of the trial, only after.

Presumably you’re talking about Christmas.

Hospitality would take a very dim view of her going sick over Christmas after she’s already been told she can’t take any more time off after the trial.

It sounds legitimate that she would need time to decompress, but realistically how relaxing is it going to be knowing that she’s in shit with work.

Personally, I think it would be better for you to go to her so you can be there when she’s not working.

Absolutely. My doctors would practically insist in these circumstances. She can self certificate without a drs note for for the first week and then ask the doctors for a sick note which they will do for a further 2 weeks and she can ask for more after that if needed.

Unfortunately that's not possible as I'm a single parent with younger children to care for.

DD herself is only 21 btw. Not that it makes much difference I suppose but she is still very young.

Can she get signed off without actually going to her GP though? She will be 150 miles from her GP for the duration of the trial and I live very near where the trial will be held so it's not like she can just make a GP appointment if she comes home to me afterwards 😔

How stressful this must be for her, and you.

She absolutely should ask to be signed off. My GP you can request appointments and sick notes online, they might have to phone but don’t always need an in person visit, does her surgery have this? Most GP’s I think expect you to self certify for 7 days first though unless it’s obvious (such as broken leg) that you’ll need longer off.

Hope the trial goes well and you both get some time together x

She’s probably going to risk her job, if she’s asked for time off and had it rejected, and then she goes off sick. That may not matter, but it’s worth considering if she likes her job or is working on her career path.

I hope the trial goes as well as possible for her.

I thought about this and nearly wrote it when I posted. But when I thought harder I figured honestly, what job would resent someone taking the time they needed after what is clearly a long and complex trial (2 weeks being fairly long as trials go). And figured actually let's face it, if that's what means they decide to blackball her, then all that tells her is that she should work somewhere that wants human staff instead of robot staff.

Yes the doctor will do this for her and quite possibly over the phone or via e-consult. I was signed off for months in the run up to the trial. Once it was over I actually went back to work within a couple of weeks, albeit on much reduced hours. Your daughter's workplace is staffed by arseholes if they are fully aware of the situation and still expect her back immediately.

I hope all goes smoothly for your daughter. Whatever the result of the trial, she's done a very brave and difficult thing and I hope it helps to brings her closure and healing.

Exactly this. What an ordeal for the OP’s daughter, and for everything to be dragged up again, I can’t imagine any employer being heartless enough to go down this path.

If I was her I would plan to stay with you for one week after the trial and self certify as sick. While she is staying at yours she could phone her doctors surgery and ask for a GP phone appointment to see if she can get signed off for longer (almost definitely the answer would be yes). I doubt the doctor would insist on seeing her in person especially if she explained she was staying with her mum for emotional support.

I expect if she feels unable to work afterwards due to the stress/mental toll then she would be able to explain to a doctor over the phone and they would be happy to sign her off

(if she was my employee I would be giving her compassionate leave in this situation)

Can she get signed off without actually going to her GP
Yes you can request one online

What an awful time for your DD. As others have said, she can request a fit note online via her GP, and take whatever time she needs afterwards.
I hope it goes as well as it can for her.

This isn’t your average leave request durning a period of no leave due to business need.

If her employer don’t see that or sack her they aren’t worthy of her.

I would sign off sick from a few days before beginning of trial. She will need headspace.

Any decent GP will give her a fit note.

Thanks everyone.

The job isn't exactly what you'd call a career. She likes working there and needs the income, but I don't see her staying there forever or progressing.

I'm sure she can get signed off, but if she goes sick after the trial over time she's already been declined from taking as leave, during a peak period, in a hospitality job, I would expect her to be sacked.

That doesn't mean she shouldn't do it. It may well be the right thing for her. But I think she needs to accept that this is a possible consequence if she does do it.

Is she actually sick though? If she's planning it in advance then probably not. She may be too stressed to work after the trial, and she could legitimately go off sick then, but she's not going to know that until the time, for some people being back at work may help and for others it may not and a GP isn't going to sign someone off sick in advance.

I'm not saying she shouldn't go off sick, of course she should if she is sick, just how does she know that now. She should wait until she knows how she feels then contact her GP.

I've worked as a gp as a trainee, 100% would be able to get signed off for it. They may do it as a telephone consultation, but may want to see f2f. The first 7d needs to be self certified

This…
And even if she doesn’t lose the job, they could make life hard for her when she does go back if she essentially drops them in it at their busiest time.
Perhaps it would be better for her to quit and look for a new job in the new year.

As PP says, I hope it goes well.