To think this is not acceptable

[chicotime88]

I work part time on a flexi rota system and I’m currently 22 weeks pregnant and have had a range of pregnancy related illnesses since week 8 (2 days off work with HG) and more recently issues relating to fatigue, heart palpitations, migraines and a DVT (all pregnancy related). I’ve self certificated for a week from work and on the advice of the consultant who discharged me from hospital have requested a sick note from the doctor for another two week to allow me to recover.

At the start of the week I received several messages on social media from colleagues asking if I’d called in yet regarding my sickness and one from a senior member of staff asking me to call them ASAP. I called and spoke to someone in HR as I was transferred to them, they asked me various questions regarding what was actually wrong with me and what treatment I’d received. I then gave the dates that I’d requested on the sick note and said that either a member of my family or a colleague will bring it into the office on my behalf as I’m not physically fit enough to at the moment or I could have it posted what ever was best. Anyway a colleague took it in for me today and the HR manager upon receiving it turned around and said to colleague “well that’s not what she told me”. The sicknote doesn’t include my hospital stay on as the information hasn’t been forwarded to my GP yet, it just states something along the lines of ‘pregnancy related illness’ (can’t say as too outing).

AIBU to be really upset/angry that A) they read the sicknote in front of my colleague and B) that it was discussed with them? I’m only just out of my probation period and I’m not in any sort of union (it’s customer service work with a high staff turnover).

Thank you if you’ve read this far I’m aware that I’ve waffled!

Should add that I’d emailed and said that the sicknote doesn’t contain information regarding my hospital stay as GP didn’t have the information yet from the hospital and I’d left the request with a receptionist for the sick note (standard practice in my surgery if it’s an ongoing issue as I’d recently visited the my GP regarding the fatigue and migraines).

Make an official complaint. When you're back and better. For now, forget the lot of them.

Very unprofessional for your sick note details to be read out in front of colleagues. HR are supposed to be confidential.

You're not being unreasonable to be annoyed/upset about this, anyone would be.

I hope you feel better soon. I had a friend who had terrible migraines during pregnancy and saw what it was like for her first hand.

You take care, you and your baby come first.

OP try and get some sleep, just ring HR and speak to them. Keep off social media and don't involve other colleagues. HR may not have "discussed" it and simply made only the comment you have posted here. Don't worry, keep well and keep the line of communication between you and HR only, your manager if HR ask too

In their defence, if a colleague was close enough to you to be kind enough to come to your house , pick up the sick note, and take it to HR for you, then it isn't unreasonable for HR to kind of assume that your colleague was close enough to know that it was 'pregnancy related illness'. Ideally, they probably shouldn't have said anything, but it's not an unreasonable thing for them to presume. My advice, if you don't want colleagues to know anything about it, then don't involve them in taking your sicknotes in.
Also agree with staying off social media with colleagues as said above.
Take care of yourself and try not to stress.

Just to add the thing re social media, colleagues were just randomly asking, I wasn’t engaging in any sort of conversation before hand with them and am not particularly close to any of them who messaged me, I also didn’t respond to any messages. I accept any colleague who adds me on Facebook but I put them straight on my restricted friends list so they can’t see status updates etc unless I make them public.

Create a paper trail.

Email HR and say "X dropped off the medical certificate for me on (date) and I understand that you thought that it did not match the information I had given you on the phone. I would like to clarify that this note is for (whatever) and a second note will be provided for (whatever). If you need any further information, please contact me on (phone no) or at (email address)".

If HR has a brain (it is possible they don't), they will see this as a warning shot and get their act together. If you need to make a complaint further down the line, you will have documentation to back it up. Please keep a photocopy of the medical certificates at home.

Uncreative gives excellent advice.

Do nothing, it is only on your colleagues say so that hr said that. If they have an issue then they will be in touch with you.

It was wrong of HR to read the note in front of the staff member. Why had your coworkers been asking if you had called in sick? Had you phoned in at the start of your sickness to advise you were ill and kept them updated regarding your return date? It doesn’t sound like anyone knew you had been signed off either because you hadn’t told them or it hadn’t been communicated to them by whoever you told. However remember that pregnancy related sick leave is treated differently to normal sick leave and doesn’t count towards your permanent sick record. If they use it as a reason to not extend your probation they are breaking the law!

Legally it’s probably a data breach. So you could report to data commissioner but probably not your best course of action.

@gamerwidow most people in the office knew that I was unwell as I was blue lighted into hospital at work due to my heart rate and my manager arranged my shifts to be covered by other staff. I then phoned in once I’d been discharged as per company policy with a return date, I didn’t make that return date as I was rushed to hospital again with the DVT but again phoned as per company policy and made my manager aware of what was wrong and that I’d be off for a further two weeks so to give my shifts away.

@Uncreative thank you for the advice, have emailed this morning and am trying to make an appointment with my GP face to face to ensure that all of my medical information is up to date and provide a new sicknote if needed.

Be very careful that your colleague isn't a stirring type. HR might not have said anything of the sort.

@KatieMarieJ I did think of that, but with how HR are and the manager in particular (very small HR dept) I would be more inclined to think that colleague isn’t stirring, they’re very standoffish and often make catty remarks about colleagues if in the office. I didn’t mention anything about what my colleague had said to me when I emailed this morning.

(Uncreative preens, thanks her admirers, takes a bow)