Signed off with stress

[Sunshinerainbowslollipops]

Hi,

I'm just wondering if anyone can answer this for me.... my sister is in a very demanding job and is at breaking point with stress at work. They harrass, bully and blackmail her and nothing resolves this. She is expected to work all hours and its never enough. She is physically ill from the stress, cannot eat, sleep and is having panic attacks. I strongly believe she should get signed off with stress. Her work have said she won't be paid if shes goes off with stress. Is this true? Thanks.

She needs to check her terms and conditions of employment.

There's no legal requirement to pay staff who are off sickbut her contract shouldday if she gets it or not.

If not after I think 3 days she can claim statutory sick pay but it's not much.

Think it depends on the work policy but if she is signed off she will qualify for something. I took two weeks off sick & received SSP. My OH took a week off & received full pay after the first two days.
She needs to check work policy but i'm pretty sure if she is signed off by a GP she is legally entitled to something

Her contract will dictate whether she is paid sick pay by employer or has to claim SSP. Do other people in similar/same roles have the same issues? Is she in a union?

She would be entitled to SSP but it maybe nothing like her normal wage, depending what she is paid.

Whether she gets any of her salary will be dependent on her contract. She may very well not.

Thank you. I will tell her to check her contract. She isn't in a union. I cannot believe that employers such as hers exist. As an example, our mother died and she was denied the day off for the funeral. She went to HR who said it was ok for her to go. However her work bombarded her all day with messages and calls. She turned off her phone and put it on in the evening to 8 missed calls and a number of emails asking her to urgently get in touch as there was xyz issues. Unbelievable.

And yes it was abundantly clear why she was off for the day. The first email began I am sorry to contact you on what must be a difficult day however... and these were not issues that could not have been resolved the following day. She works in finance. Thanks for the help everyone I just needee to rant.

I cannot understand why she wouldn't get full pay if she goes off sick as a direct result of her work. If she won't get paid she can't go off as she earns a decent salary and has 2 children in nursery, mortgage, bills etc.

Your sister needs to get another job. Employers like that are life ruining. Look at constructive dismissal rather than going off sick.

That is unbelieveable about the messages on the day of funeral, your poor sister. Is she looking for alternative work at all? Though easier said than done if she is stressed and having panic attacks!

I cannot understand why she wouldn't get full pay if she goes off sick as a direct result of her work

That's not the way sick pay works.

Definitely tell her to look at constructive dismissal. I had similar with my employers, unfair contact & stress, & then bombardment whilst on sick. Sounds like she would have an even better case than me & I have been told mine is strong

Does she get sick pay at work normally? I get full sick pay, but many people only get SSP.

No there’s no legal requirement for full pay on sick. This protects businesses from people taking the p**s. However ssp is still payable by the company which is something like £80 per week. She needs to find another job.

It should be paid in the same as any other sickness absence, statutory sick pay + any additional amount depends on her contract. I would encourage her to keep copies of any emails etc. saying it won't be paid as well as any other evidence of bullying. And join a union!

Thank you. Shes never been off sick before in 4 years because if she is too ill to work shes sat at home working on laptop and vomitting intermittently... she got paid but she was still working. She is looking for work and has a job offer but she cannot start there for 6 months. She has decided to take it (initially wasnt going to as is a longer commute and pay cut but conpany seen much better and less stress)

She needs to join a union.

Huge numbers of companies don’t pay sick pay. We get nothing for the first three days, then it’s SSP unless you’ve been employed over two years, when you get three weeks full pay and then SSP.

This is the first company I’ve ever worked for that’s had any kind of company sick pay. It’s not a legal obligation.

I cannot understand why she wouldn't get full pay if she goes off sick as a direct result of her work.

Do you work? surely you understand that some people have fully paid sick leave in their contract, others have the more standard 3 days nothing then SSP. what is it you don't understand? If she feels work has made her ill that's a separate matter and of course she can sue, but very hard to prove.

If she has a job lined up for six months' time, tell her to go to an agency and say she wants temp work in finance/accounting, whatever she's qualified for. Ask them how quickly they can get her work and then she can quit her current job. She could go sick for the last couple of weeks if a doctor will sign her off.

She'll get SSP (about £80 a week) if she's signed off - stress is the same as any other illness - BUT long term that isn't going to help her unless she uses the time off to find herself another job.

Unfortunately work related stress rarely reduces from taking a break and returning to the same environment.

If she doesn't want signed off for 'stress' on her employment record, I'm sure a sympathetic GP can put an alternative on the sick note

Sounds horrific. Tell her to keep a diary of events and emails as evidence. Companies like this bully people into thinking they have no option but with all the evidence she can look at constructive dismissal. No one should be treated like this. I would expect the company to have hr policies in place to prevent this but it’s amazing what some people get away with. If her contract says she is paid when off, then they can’t discriminate between stress and any other illness. There is no shame in being off with stress. Stress should be recognised and people supported. So sorry she’s going through this. If it’s any help, I had a similar experience a number of years ago. It all came to a head when my dad was diagnosed with cancer and had to go in for emergency surgery. They refused to allow me time off and told me to grow up and sort myself out. It was the last kick in a long line of stuff. Leaving and getting recognition for what they put me through was the hardest thing I have ever done but also the best.

Thanks very much, lots of helpful advice. I will pass it on. Temping may work as she is good at what she does (was approached by the new job, did not apply). Thanks again