To try and get signed off sick at work with stress?

[BabyImAHeadfcuk]

Been in my new job 6 months. For the past 5 months I have suffered a steady decline in mental health. I'm having to work 6 days a week because of the stupid shift pattern. I'm working Christmas Day, Boxing Day and all the days in between with just the odd day off here and there (no more than one in a row, no who together). I'm exhausted. I'm stressed out. My anxiety is through the roof. I've tried the diplomatic approach of asking to reduce my hours or asking to be moved to a base closer to home (as I'm driving over 2 hours a day 6 days a week just to get there and back) and they don't want to know.

I have no annual leave until April and the thought of working like this until April without a break actually fills me with panic and despair.

I have been to GP - she believes I am heading towards stress/depression (I have history) and is keeping an eye on it.

I have three job interviews that I can't get to because of this god awful job as they won't let me take any time off at all. Even when my husband got referred to the cancer unit after some dodgy blood test results came back they wouldn't let me take 4 hours off to go with him to the appointment.

AIBU to ask the GP to sign me off sick for the next two weeks? This would also allow me to get to the job interviews.

I saw you post last week I think? Can you speak to your manager and explain how close to the edge you are feeling? You should be contracted to do 37.5 hours per week so how come you are doing 6 days? You are not obliged to do overtime shifts.

If they won't be more accommodating then I would resign and do bank work whilst you job hunt. Even if you end up doing bank work for the same organisation you would have more control.

Try not to go off sick as you will have to declare it when applying for new job. Cut out all other stresses as far as possible and if you have a plan for getting out it shouldn't seem so bad. Depending on where you live there should be plenty of nicer jobs to go for.

Hang on.

It's not a good idea to be off sick and go for an interview. That's what I'd usually think. But this firm has put you in an impossible position and you have to think of yourself first. The only thing is would they dismiss you if they found out. That's the risk. It's all very well to say resign but I if you rely on the money it's not always possible. Hope things work out. The company sound awful.

What area do you work in? How do yr shift patterns give you so little time off?

Can you afford to just resign? That's what I'd do, and then focus on job hunting.

Or alternatively tell them that you're going to hand in your notice in Jan, and insist that they give you that time off, and if they don't then hand in your resignation sooner.

What's your notice period?

It sounds really tough. I hope you work it out soon.

Why don't you have annual leave?

OP if you are a nurse and work for the NHS a lot of trusts give half a day off for interviews

100% you should get sick leave. Put yourself first not your employer. Go to the interviews and apply for more. Hopefully you will get a new job and don't have to go back.

It's awful being stuck in a job that you hate and can impact your whole life. Think positive and keeping making active steps to get out of there.

If the OP is a nurse, she can pick up endless shifts at carehomes through agencies.

Hm... so what I meant by "endless shifts" was that she would have no lack of work if she resigned. It came out weird, sorry.