To not let employers know I’m having bariatric surgery?

[Mollie85]

Am planning bariatric surgery at the start of a two week leave period in October. I am having a sleeve. Realise lots of people are against this and have been doing my research for a long time, so please- no helpful horror stories I’ve made up my mind.

My Aibu is this: Am I being unreasonable to not let my employer know? I won’t be using up sick leave, just annual leave and by all accounts should be able to return to work in two weeks (sedate desk job, no lifting).

I presume I don’t have an obligation to tell them (certainly nothing in my contract) but wondered if I should let HR know should something go wrong and I need extra time?

Thanks in advance

I can't see it's anyone's business but your own.

I can’t see why you should tell them , surely worse scenario is that you have to go off sick after your AL is up and that would be no different to if you became ill during your AL .

You don't need to tell them!

I would inform someone in case additional complications happen and you need a little more time, but I don't see why you'd have to tell them.

You don't have to tell anyone, but how you are going to manage to not let any one notice you are eating pureed food ?

I go home for lunch anyway as I live a two minute walk away and I leave at 3pm as I start early, so they rarely see me eat.

The only thing that will be different is me not going downstairs when the bosses wife makes sausage rolls

I just wondered if there was a moral obligation to let them know. I don’t want to be thought of unfavorably ...

Thanks for replies

You have no legal obligation unless there is something in your employment contract that stipulates you must disclose such things, or unless failure to tell them would compromise the health and safety of the public or any employee (including you).

Morally I see no reason why you should feel you have to tell them, so long as you can still perform your job.

Good luck with the surgery

Thank you that’s so kind

No obligation, but you have to decide (if you need a sick note from dr and you may well do if you’re not ready to return to work after 2 weeks) what you want them to write on that as they cannot lie but you don’t have to give specific details if you don’t want.

Good luck with sleeve, it is an epically good surgery!
You don't have to tell them, but it is a major surgery and you might still be struggling after two weeks. You will be taking in so few calories that you may still feel very sick and dizzy, plus general anaesthetic might not be out of system.
I do honestly wish you the best for it, mine has changed my life.

Well you can self certificate for 7 days can’t you too? Good luck op

I had a sleeve 3 years ago and didn't tell work. I Said I was having planned surgery but not what it was. I recovered just fine with no complications. Its a pretty easy op. You just feel a bit tired until you can eat solids properly again. You'll have no regrets, good luck xx

You’ve no obligation. Not in the same league but I just took time off for laser eye surgery. Didn’t formally inform work, just took annual leave.

Good luck!

Thank you for all the responses - thank you too Isabella - nice to hear from another “sleever”.

I don’t know what you mean by “self certificate” (sorry) I’m in the CI so it may be different.

Work sick policy is two days max without certificate ...

Thank you all - it’s such a huge decision to have made.

A family member had a bypass at Christmas and it’s given them a new lease of life...

Bloody good for you OP. Hope it goes well for you

Thank you

The reason I don’t want to say anything unless I really have to is because when I’d mentioned about the family member (in an upbeat and positive way), there were many disparaging remarks from the team.

They see it as “cheating” and despite me having lost and gained the same weight four times think it’s an easy task. Which, granted, for some it is. We all have different “relationships” with food.

I have no problem with telling them when I’m all healed and presenting it as a fait accompli

I had a sleeve took two weeks leave but then had to take an extra 2 weeks as unwell, followed by 6 weeks off a couple of weeks after that I could not keep a single thing down had multiple investigations during this time and then 2 weeks off for gallbladder which was flared from losing weight too quickly.
Work found out

I had a gastric sleeve 6 years ago, it changed my life! I had depression/ eating disorder and combined the surgery with counselling. I lost 8 stone in a year. I also didn't volunteer the info to anyone but immediate family, however, I think lots of people suspected but didn't ask.

I would say that 2 weeks is a little bit of an ambitious recovery period. I also worked an office job but took 4 weeks until I felt fit again.

Very good luck

I’ve had one and also didn’t tell my employer- just said I was going for surgery. In my doctors note they initially wrote ‘gastric sleeve’ as the reason but I asked GP to change and she was very supportive and said it was no one else’s business. Changed it to ‘laparoscopic procedure’.

Thanks all. Well the gall bladder has already gone from losing the weight the fourth time (Atkins) so that’s one good thing! Although the gall bladder was six weeks off!

The family member had two weeks off for a bypass therefore I assumed that for the sleeve this would be ok. I can’t stress how sedate it is. I get in, walk to the kitchen to make coffee and then go home ...
I could tag on an extra three days to the two weeks and return to work on the Thursday rather than the Monday...
... perhaps it would be wise to do that?

Ice cream that’s useful to know thank you - how much time did you end up off work from the surgery date if you don’t mind me asking?

I just had the two weeks off which was plenty. Up and about looking after toddler after 1.