Feeling Harassed by work

[SortYourLifeOutMate]

I don't know what to do.

I currently work as a Nursing Assistant at a busy hospital. I've always worked 12-13 hour shifts.
I have a serious foot condition that requires surgery. I had surgery booked in that was cancelled 3 days before due to covid.
Since then I have been off work sick, due to doctors saying they don't want me working and making my feet worse before surgery.

Since handing in the first sick note, I have been non stop pestered by work to call, email etc.

My boss knows I suffer extreme anxiety and depression. Is this fair or should I call? Bare in mind my boss is very intimidating and hard to talk to. The constant 'asking to call' is not making matters better.

I don't know what to do. I just think if if was that 'urgent', why not email me to explain?

How long have you been off OP? And when was the last time you physically spoke to them?

I would also be wondering (if I was your employer) if I could transfer you to administrative duties (for example) where you might be able to work from home or from a desk at work. Is that something that would be feasible for you?

It might also be worth talking to your manager as they might be able to get a look at the waiting lists etc to see when you might get your operation.

Unfortunately you really can't ignore them: would it be better if you arranged a weekly call so you knew when the call was going to be?

You are totally taking the piss !

So they have no idea how long you will be off??

Of course you need to phone and have a proper conversation about when surgery might be and if it’s weeks then get moved onto administrative duties that can be done from home.

Even the most understanding employer will permit a maximum amount of sick leave before having to start other procedures

And how long have you been off?

A weekly checkpoint phone call is the minimum that you should do

AIBU?
Everyone : yes, asks questions
OP: no I’m not, ignores questions.

These type of posts always amuse me.

I'd call to find out what they want, it may be some mandatory online training the boss wants you to while your off.. You won't know until you call in.

I'm an NHS nurse manager, I'd expect to be speaking to you every week or two at this point to find out how you are getting on/if there is anything you need from us.

'I'd also expect you to have been to occupational health. Have you done that?

I''d also need to be completing sickness management paperwork, and a requirement of that is talking to and seeing you.

In addition to this, how long have you worked for the NHS, and how long have you been off sick? They may well be telling you that you are going to half pay - I'd want to tell you this in person or over the phone, no-one wants an email about it out of the blue.

I wouldn't be very impressed at your attitude at the moment, it is a requirement for you to talk to your manager. I keep up with some members of staff who have been off a long time via text - but that has to be agreed between the two of you.

surely you can see you’re massively taking the piss? It’s a place of work, not a charity. They need to know how long you’re off for, and you as a professional adult need to keep them up to date with the situation. They are entirely within their rights to let you go, you need to try and keep them on side, surely?

I think you should try and see things from your employer's point of view. Presumably someone is having to cover your work? And they don't have any idea how long you might be off for, so at the moment, your colleagues are probably all just adding your workload to theirs and running themselves ragged. If your employer knew that you might be off for another month or two, perhaps, then they could look to employ someone else short term to do your work, instead of your colleagues just shouldering the extra work.

At my trust it is policy that managers make contact roughly 3 weekly. Followed by regular face to face meetings.

Hr are usually involved by this point and you'd be welcome to take union support to the meetings.

I went through this when off sick when teaching. They made me call in daily while off with stress and in the end I had a panic attack on the phone.

Tell your GP what's going on. They can keep a record of how work stresses affect you and will write a letter of support if you have to take it further.

Also, speak to HR.

God don't sign you off indefinitely. They could reasonably expect you to speak to occupational health. Whilst your gp has over riding decision if you are fit for work. Your employer has a duty of care. Even if you don't give a stuff about them. They could need to temp fill your position and it's just rude and entitled to expect to just ignore them.

GP , not god 🤣

Maybe you could take the intiative to call rather than be anxious about them chasing you and catch you unawares. There may be seated roles you could fill, additional rest breaks or other reasonable adjustments available. What does your fitnote say? How long might you be off in anticipation of an op and then recovery otherwise!

I don't think you will have a job to worry about soon. OP.

I'm a manager at service head level and I would expect your manager to be dealing with this. The most likely reason the messages are "urgent" is that you are not complying with your organisations sickness process and your manager is under pressure for that. Which is an unfair position to put her in.

Just call them and do what they are asking you to do. If you don't, the next you'll hear is a recorded delivery letter headed "Consideration of Future Employment Meeting" and you'll be on here asking "can they do that?".

Surely this is a wind up? Unless it's stress related you should in regular contact. It's completely unprofessional to ignore them.

I've been off since March with stage 4 cancer. I speak to my boss at least every couple of weeks. The longest we went without speaking was 5 weeks when I was having a transplant. They're not when are you coming back to work calls. They're - how are you? Is there anything we can do to help? calls.

I'm going back in new year btw. My boss and my organisation cares and will make sure adjustments are made.

Can I hijack this thread and ask a question to posters. A lot of you have said that most places expect a weekly phone call, I have been off 9 months and probably spoken to my manager about 5 times in that time, I only speak to him when I give in a new sick note about every 6-8 weeks. Is this ok or should I be contacting him more regularly?

Ok im a manger in the NHS and manage sickness of staff all the time. There will be a stipulation in the sickness policy that you both need to keep in touch during the absence. I'd email and ask for a copy if you don't already have it.

You can't just go off indefinitely, they will be contacting you for updates even if you have none to give as they have to be in touch regularly. If you continue to ignore they will continue to pester to make sure you're ok.

Are you aware after 6m your pay will halve by the way?

Also you will be on the long sickness absence policy and you are duty bound to keep in touch with them too. As part of long term absence policy it is normal to send you for a OH assessment as they may be able to support you or redeploy you to a role in the meantime where you can sit, such as admin/switchboard. Given current pressures that's also probably one of the reasons they're contacting you! I'm not saying it's appropriate for you to be redeployed but there's a process they AND YOU have to follow. You can't just say I'm sick indefinitely leave me alone!

Granted they can't ask you to come back and work but they are in their rights to ask for updates. And they can ultimately start the process to end your contract you on medical grounds if you fail to engage. This is of course worse case scenario.

@user676432

Can I hijack this thread and ask a question to posters. A lot of you have said that most places expect a weekly phone call, I have been off 9 months and probably spoken to my manager about 5 times in that time, I only speak to him when I give in a new sick note about every 6-8 weeks. Is this ok or should I be contacting him more regularly?

That sounds unusual, but it depends on your organisation's policy. It's possible that's OK in your organisation, but it's also possible your manager isn't doing his job and isn't managing your absence. That's not your fault but if it were me I'd check the policy and comply with it. The responsibility for complying with work absence policy is yours.

Tell your GP what's going on. They can keep a record of how work stresses affect you and will write a letter of support if you have to take it further.

There's no connection here, though. OP is off with a foot problem, not stress. Employers are entitled to make contact with OP. There is absolutely nothing to take further, I really don't understand this. OP is really not helping their own case, here.....As someone else said, yo'ull be first in line for redundancy as you aren't willing to engage with your employer.

I did work with someone like this. Off sick indefinitely, never communicated properly. She didn't last long....You will just get a reputation as a malingerer if you don't follow perfectly reasonably sickness procedures. It's taking the piss to sit back with full pay and refuse to engage.

Foot problems isn’t limited to cancer or bunions. Dropped arches (for example) can be excruciating and debilitating.

@InOtterNews

Surely this is a wind up? Unless it's stress related you should in regular contact. It's completely unprofessional to ignore them.

I've been off since March with stage 4 cancer. I speak to my boss at least every couple of weeks. The longest we went without speaking was 5 weeks when I was having a transplant. They're not when are you coming back to work calls. They're - how are you? Is there anything we can do to help? calls.

I'm going back in new year btw. My boss and my organisation cares and will make sure adjustments are made.

@InOtterNews I have someone off work with stress at the moment. We have contact roughly fortnightly.

So sorry to hear you’ve been unwell, hoping all your treatment is going well.

If you're responding to your managers like you're responding here....yeah, I can understand their frustration.