Boss changed my email password while I’m off sick

[Lellikelly26]

Bit of background, I’ve worked in a very stressful environment with very little support for the last year and a half. I was signed off work for a week due to vertigo (Which has been ongoing on/off since October) my body just needs a rest, I want to get properly well. My boss took it badly and was texting/emailing insisting I phone him urgently. I told him I felt harassed, about ten minutes later I spoke with him and he said he’s spoken with an employment lawyer. I felt this was a complete over reaction. I’ve had the odd day off sick but always worked from home. He has said I can’t do any work at home. I just got an email security alert saying my work email password has just been changed. I’m taking this as a bit hostile? AIBU?

It doesn't sound great. There's a chance they just needed access to your email and didn't have your password but they should really have spoken with you first.

When I was off sick, my email password was changed (I was off for three months)

This was because I needed to recover and not having the temptation to check in was removed officially
This was all explained to me first tho and it was reasonable

Your boss shouldn’t have been emailing etc whilst you’re off and he’s probably been told to cease? And rightly so
Perhaps speak to HR dept
You can also get free advice over the phone from ACAS

You absolutely shouldn’t be working if you are off sick and he’s right to stop you.

However, everything else about his reaction sounds awful and you should talk to your union.

Negotiating time to work from home when you are better is sensible when you return to work but take the time out you need.

Well no, it doesn't sound great. But assuming you have copies of all these emails and texts, and your letter from your doctor, I think you'd have a pretty strong case to defend yourself.

Small company? (I’m guessing by the fact lawyers were mentioned rather than HR)

My advice would be to ignore his hissy fit and if you’re generally not happy there start looking for something else.

If a manager was accused of harassment by someone they line managed, I would expect them to seek further advice - which he probably did by speaking to a lawyer (if he did actually speak to one, which I am slightly dubious about tbh).

When you say you work from home when you are sick - is that so you are not taking sickness absence?

Thanks everyone. It is a small business and I get that it is tough to manage staff sickness in a small firm. That’s why I have previously worked from home rather than have time off, though with hindsight that was counterproductive as this illness has gone on and on. I feel guilty for having the time off but couldn’t face having vertigo again for weeks on end and trying to work