Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ignore work emails whilst off sick?

40 replies

PoesyCherish · 28/09/2018 00:20

As I said in my previous thread, I've been off for almost two weeks because of unbearable joint pain and my employer failing to put in any reasonable adjustments. I've checked my emails once per day just because I've had to email in every day to update on my progress.

For the last week and a half I've been getting requests for me to carry out work and demanding I do it by the end of the week. AIBU to ignore the emails, or at least some of them - particularly those telling me I need to do online training?

It's not like I'm in an even remotely senior position where they desperately need me to do things. The training one is just so it doesn't affect their metrics. Surely though you don't expect an ill employee to still carry out training even when signed off as not fit for work by a trained medical professional?

OP posts:
BackforGood · 28/09/2018 00:33

YANBU at all
however many people think they might as well get something like that out the way, as they know there will be a lot of catching up to do when they start back, so 30mins a day deleting skimming through e-mails is a good investment when they are just sitting around a bit bored anyway. Something like an online training is something I would probably do to occupy my mind for an hour.

the off putting bit is the "demand". If anyone started "demanding,", then I wouldn't do them. However, in managing my own workload, I think it would make sense to not have to come back to 1000 e-mails that I could have got rid of 1/3 of them as I went along.

SpoonBlender · 28/09/2018 00:40

Not at all unreasonable. Set your out of office with a message referring people to your boss, that's it. And don't check your email, disable collecting it if it's on your personal phone/computer.

If you're signed off work you're not allowed to work, generally speaking.

hadenough · 28/09/2018 00:43

Do not reply and ignore.

You're unwell and need to get better. They shouldn't be making you feel bad for that.

LemonysSnicket · 28/09/2018 00:46

God I know how you feel, I'm the most junior of people in my dept. I've been away at WORK MANDATED TRAINING for 4 days. They've been emailing and given me 4 days of work to do in 1, somehow believing that training is a holiday.
I've thrown up twice. I just cannot get it done but I'm so junior and it's people from4/5 departments giving me the work and not comming so I don't know what to do....

planetclom · 28/09/2018 00:50

Stop looking and put an out of office on stating you are off and who to contact instead.
Contact you manager and let them know how to contact you in order to keep in touch about your sickness or do what I do an tell your manager you will contact them every day Friday about the next week and if anything changes either way you will let them know ASAP.

Pringlecat · 28/09/2018 00:58

I wouldn't expect you to check emails if you were 1) still in pain or 2) signed off sick.

However, if you were signed off as fit to work with reasonable adjustments (that hadn't been put in place at work but that you had in place at home), I might expect you to do some work from home.

I would also call you once a week to check in (I'd call rather than email).

possumgoddess · 28/09/2018 06:56

I actually got told off for checking my work emails while I was off sick! Definitely not encouraged where I work.

BookMeOnTheSudExpress · 28/09/2018 07:02

How do you reply when they are sending you the stuff?

Just tell them you have a sicknote and unable to do the work they are sending you. Keep it factual and neutral. Don't apologise and don't threaten.

MarieMorgan · 28/09/2018 07:20

Who is sending the emails. Is it your manager or the training dept. We get emails when training needs to be refreshed but from training and they don't necessarily know who is off sick. Also are other emails just sent to you. If it's a request sent to a number of people may just be that you are on that circulation list. Doesn't mean sender is expecting a response from person off sick. If neither of these apply then your work place is being unreasonable.

SandyY2K · 28/09/2018 07:24

Why are you using your work email to update them?

You should either text/email from your personal phone or email address.

You should have an out of office put on letting people know who to contact in your absence.

SandyY2K · 28/09/2018 07:31

This may not be you...but from the management/HR perspective I get peeved with employees who demand heaven and earth in terms of equipment for their issues...but they have none of this when they insist on WFH.

Sit stand table...ergonomic mouse and keyboard...footrest....special chair...document holders...wrist rest...back rest..you name it they want...then they go off sick in protest while it's on order for them.

In most cases these are the employees who have performance issues as well.

grumiosmum · 28/09/2018 07:39

Have you set up an out of office message?

SchadenfreudePersonified · 28/09/2018 07:47

YANBU - stop checking the e-mails.

If you are off sick, you are off sick.

he same if you are on holiday (you wouldn't believe how many people think it is okay to phone/e-mail someone on their days off).

You are not obliged to do anything work-related in YOUR time. If you do it will

a) set a precedent and this will happen every time you are not in the office, for whatever reason

b) have everyone saying "she wasn't really ill" behind your back, and get you a reputation as a shirker (paradoxically)

Let them shine and complain - it's not your responsibility. Do your training when you are back in the office. Online or not, you don't have to do it now.

Haahhpy · 28/09/2018 07:49

I think I actually disagree with what people are saying on this one. To me if you're off sick it's because you're too sick to work. It sounds like you're not actually too sick to work, just finding it painful to be at work (haven't seen your previous post about your employer though). I wouldn't leave my colleagues hanging waiting for work from me though when it sounds like you're capable of either doing it from home or at the very least letting them know you're not gonna do it! For me the minimum you need to do is set an out of office response or reply to your colleagues letting them know you won't be sending them any work.

Juells · 28/09/2018 07:54

It sounds like you're not actually too sick to work, just finding it painful to be at work

That's what I got from the OP as well. If you're saying you could work if they make adjustments, then obviously they (work) think that you'll have your own environment set up to be comfortable enough to work in.

I don't think what they're asking is unreasonable. You can't have it both ways, and it might seem to them that that's what you're doing.

MrsMozart · 28/09/2018 07:57

OP check with your HR to ask if, if the pain allows, you can do the training (and remove those sick days from record), and, again if you're feeling up to it, is there a WFH option, i.e. you'll donwhat you can.

Lemony Do you have an out of office notification on your email? If no, set one now ("on training, emails not being monitored, back on x date"); if yes, send the chasing people a short generic email "Thank you for uour email. I'm on company mandatory training. I'll be back in the office on x date."

squadronleader87 · 28/09/2018 07:57

The use of the term 'off sick' is actually no longer accurate. Doctors now use a 'fit note' and if the OP has been deemed unfit by her doctor she should not be doing any work, nor should she be asked.

MrsMozart · 28/09/2018 08:16

Squadron that's interesting to note, thank you.

daisychain01 · 28/09/2018 08:21

If you have a Fit Note from your GP where they have indicated on that form that you are not fit at all, that is a legally binding document that you have protection to not do any work, of any description.

Your options are

  • you self-determine you want to return sooner or
  • you return to your GP for them to indicate on a new Fit Note that you are able to make a phased return to work. You would then need to agree with your employer how the phased return would be done eg pt hours, wfh some days etc.

Doing the half way house approach by checking emails is making a rod for your own back, and gives your employer a mixed message. You need to be more communicative with your employer and clear what you're capable of doing or not doing. They aren't mind readers, if they make an assumption you're ready to return when you aren't, you need to make sure they understand, using the Fitnote as the communication tool.

Original poster
PoesyCherish · 28/09/2018 13:29

I'm not sure where I said I have the necessary adjustments at home? I don't Confused. I can manage about 30 mins on a laptop before I end up in serious pain at home. Not really enough to work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

I have an out of office and thusfar haven't responded to emails other than to email my manager to say "I'm not going to be in..."

All of the emails specifically asking me to do things (training or otherwise) have come from my manager.

OP posts:
Original poster
PoesyCherish · 28/09/2018 13:31

PS by checking my emails I meant it loads up when I get up Outlook to email my manager to say I'm not coming in (they expect an update daily). I can then see from the preview it loads up for each email the ones where they're asking me to do work. The emails are addressed "Dear Poesy" so I'm assuming they're not group mails where I've just been copied it.

OP posts:
cheesefield · 28/09/2018 13:42

What adjustments have you asked them to make at work that they have not made?

Original poster
PoesyCherish · 28/09/2018 13:51

@cheesefield I have asked them to make the workstation more ergonomic with regards to keyboard, mouse, more supportive chair etc but so far they've failed to implement a single one.

OP posts:
Littletabbyocelot · 28/09/2018 13:52

I was similar to possum. While awaiting surgery and in severe pain / doped up on tramadol I tried to keep up with work emails. My boss made the point that pain affects your judgement / concentration / skills and he'd rather know I was off and have to cover the work than deal with mistakes caused by me working when unfit.

cheesefield · 28/09/2018 13:53

Do they have a H&S or Occy you can get in touch with?

Swipe left for the next trending thread