Return to Work Meeting

[TrailMonkey]

I have a return to work meeting today. I am so nervous about it - HR have been invited. I was ill with Covid and was then furloughed, been back at work for a couple of weeks now working part time in a different role so already feeling quite "work isolated". Was supposed to go back 8 weeks ago but they extended my furlough with no explanation. I have a pretty sick sinking feeling in my stomach as when I was ill last year for three weeks I never had such a meeting.

My line manager also appears to really dislike me / my opinion and is pretty open about it which is not helping me feel at ease.

Just need a little hand hold please?

I would have taken one in had I known it was going to be more than a return to work meeting and grievances would be raised.

Are they allowed to ask if your disability will cause sick days in the future ? You can't know that.
I've had a similar meeting (not sickness) and as I felt it was getting formal I ended it and said 'if this is formal , we'll reschedule and I'll bring a rep with me '

"'if this is formal , we'll reschedule and I'll bring a rep with me '"

That's what I said, it went back to normal and then switched, said again, and went back.

They asked the OH Doctor that question as well so i suspect they are allowed to ask it. I have stupidly unachievable targets as well so i suspect i will be performance managed out of their. I am going to speak to a solicitor though as well as the union I think

@TrailMonkey, do NOT speak to a solicitor before you speak to the union. This is because a lot of unions will not deal if you have taken advice from elsewhere. Your union will have a service level agreement with their solicitors if you need one anyway.

Maybe working from home would be better. Would that be possible in your role? Or on another role within the business? If you have a life-threatening condition then it’s not just COVID-19 you need to be mindful of, people come into offices with all manner of colds, infections, etc. And they are often not very clean places.

Will you be managed out of the team elsewhere or out of the organisation altogether? Defo speak to union asap. Would you be happier away from horrible line manager? Sorry this is happening, I am pregnant and suffering from HG so had a lot of time off and my LM is getting a bit a shitty about it. It sucks.

@TrailMonkey

I just got the report now! They did put in the suggested adjustments!

Has the Dr advised a follow up appointment? If they have been given recommendations they should have seen them through for you. I work in private OH if there's any questions you may have.

I think I would be managed out of the organisation - when these things are said they are always "I line managed so and so out and then refused to write them a reference ha ha ha".

OH haven't suggested another meeting but have said they would be happy to see me again if I / work requested. They seem to have sent the updated report to work prior to me, as our HR had it before I had been sent it, but honestly, the OH doctor was amazing and they made all the changes I put forwards (just clarifications) so I am not worried about this too much.

I would much prefer to stay in the organisation but only if I start being recognised for the work I do (I do a lot of my line managers workload although some of that is now being noted by higher up).

This isn't only affecting me, and there have been witnesses to lots of the comments but as the LM has protected characteristic and has supposedly used it before then it's hard to do anything but look for another job.

Thanks for the advice about Union Rep before the Solicitor.

The other thing I need to figure out is the legalities of maternity leave. LM has said if I take maternity leave for more than six months then I will find I don't have a job to come back to. I thought everyone was allowed to take up to a year off after having a baby?

Thankfully I have kept notes of everything!

You need proper advice ASAP OP. Are you currently pregnant?

Go to your union, and as a PP said, go to them first.

From pregnant then screwed:

"If you take up to six months off (Ordinary Maternity Leave), you are entitled to return to the same job with no changes. If you take Additional Maternity Leave (more than six months), you are entitled to return to the same job as before as long as it’s reasonably practical. If it’s not, your employer must offer you a comparable role."

pregnantthenscrewed.com/what-are-my-rights/

Thank you @FeedMeSantiago

No, not currently, hopefully next year once my medical condition is treated. A colleague is though which is why the conversation happened.