Being asked to do work from home when signed off sick

[Butterflyone1]

I'm having a laparoscopy tomorrow and the hospital said they would sign me off work for two weeks. It seems a bit long but I guess they are being cautious.

My employer knows about this and the time has been agreed off. It's pretty bad timing as I have handed my notice in and am due to start a new job in a few months time (I have three months notice period) but the timing can't be helped.

Anyway my boss has just mentioned to me that if we win a piece of work, I could do some of it working from home whilst I'm off. I think this is incredibly cheeky considering they are aware I'm due to be signed off for two weeks.

I wasn't quite sue what to say so I just said I'd take my laptop home and said I'll keep them posted but does anyone else think this is pretty cheeky?

You are signed off sick therefore you are off sick.
Simple as that really.

Back to work you go when you are deemed fit to do so.

A laparoscopy is still quite a major surgery. I was a week before I could even move comfortably. The air they fill your abdomen with is most painful. Then there's 3 wounds, small but deep, not to mention all the poking around they do. It took me at least another 2 weeks after that to feel completely normal.
Maybe I just heal slower🤷🏼‍♀️

Your medical leave should be yours alone, not your boss's opportunity to get free work out of you. If you're leaving anyway you owe them nothing.

Be well, mind yourself.
Best of luck with the surgery.

Yes they are cheeky. Doctor says you can’t work so why does your employer think he knows better?

It would have been different if he asked you if you were available to answer an occasional phone call from him/ a co worker in case something comes up and they really need your input but even that is borderline cheeky.
I would ask my doctor to write a letter in which he emphasises you can NOT work and need rest.
In case your employer bothers you again with HIS problem I would send him an email with the said letter attached to it with a CC to HR.
Good luck with your recovery OP.

From the circumstances you describe, this does sound cheeky. Your boss knows you're leaving though so probably is willing to take the piss a bit more with requests. On the flip side, your boss may just be trying to keep you involved so you don't have to catch up when you get back, or perhaps you're the sort of person who works from home when sick previously? But on the face of it, it does seem a bit unreasonable of your boss.

I’ve had three lost of laparoscopic surgery. The wound sites themselves are fine.

Like PP said it the air they blow you up with. I thought I’d put my shoulder out somehow. But nope. It was trapped air.

That can take a good week to disperse.

You’re off for two weeks for a reason.

Please don't agree to doing any work when you're off sick. And don't let your boss guilt you into it because you're leaving soon.

Smile sweetly and say you'll pick up your part of the work when you return in two weeks.

Thanks for the replies. I do think it's purely he's trying to get his moneys worth out of me.

It has been incredibly quiet the last few weeks (hence I'm glad I'm leaving) so it feels like if he win the work, he wants me to do it so they've not been paying me to do nothing but it's not my fault there is no work for me to do.

I'm absolutely petrified to have it done (I'm a huge wimp) so the thought of then having to sign on and complete reviews is rather daunting. Especially if I miss something as it's due diligence for buying a business so it's big pressure really.

I was off sick last year after surgery and my lovely boss insisted I didn't do any work from home when I offered to host an online meeting a month after the surgery. Your boss is being a CF and trying to get his money's worth before you go. Sick leave is sick leave.