Back to work interview after sickness?

[Bigredtaxi]

I’ve been off for a week.

Does anyone know what it will entail? I’m a bit anxious.

Trust me it's nothing. I've had many many illnesses and days for dependents, you always do these interviews when you return to work even if it's 1 days off.

They're gonna ask you to again go over why you were off (you can self sign yourself off sick for up to a week at a time) they will ask how they can help you as a company to take less time off and what you could do, just keep answers as short and direct as you need to if you're nervous about what you say.

Don't worry it's not gonna be bad :)

They will want to make sure you are ok, we’ll enough to return, do they have to make accommodation for anything

However being brutal if you have been off 3 times n just over a month on probation, whatever the reasons at my firm you wouldn’t be passing probation and would be given notice accordingly

Do you not have a union rep who will be accompanying you? UNISON support non teaching school staff.

Please don't just resign - it's just a part of the procedure.

I am in with the kids (early years)

@Bigredtaxi it's just a formality, a box ticking exercise so they can see if you're supported enough at work. Don't stress it

I conducted return-to-work interviews at the council and, though I agree that one objective is to make sure you're well enough to be at work, the main objective would be to ascertain whether, as a probationer, you are an asset or not. I know it seems incredibly unfair as all absences were for bona fide reasons and it may be that they extend your probation period to give you a chance to prove your health won't prove to be a liability long term. Take detailed notes with you of prescriptions, tests, Dr appts and they will see that you are meeting them halfway. I certainly wouldn't have recommended dismissal in these circumstances but would have extended probation and had regular 121s to make sure you were OK (for your sake as much as theirs). Good luck.

It’s to be expected if you are working with young children you’ll get sick in a new job in same way a child starting nursery usually gets sick. It will get easier. They need to check if there’s anything causing you to be ill for H & S reasons eg if it’s freezing cold in room or no ventilation. Don’t worry.

As someone who’s in HR in early years, given the state of recruitment and retention in the sector at the minute, unless you are causing them big problems - I doubt they will be dismissing you. Especially if you go in with a good attitude and your performance and practice is otherwise good.

At the last one I had it was just to check i was fit to return to work and asked if there was anything i felt i needed to discuss, or if i had any follow up doctors appointments. i work for the nhs and if you have 3 episodes off sick in a certain period of time you are referred to occupational health so i think it was also documenting for that.

Well I wouldn't hand your notice in yet.. The Covid one shouldn't count against you but I think I'd have gone in with the chest infection. I know it's hard but I have done it because we don't get sick pay.
I'd have thought the worst that would happen is they'd extend your probation.

You need to calm your anxiety by thinking about it from the other way around.

Imagine you are an employer with 1000s of employees. You are a caring employer and want to make sure their wellbeing is a priority.
You don't want them forcing themselves back if they're ill.
If there's something obvious you can be doing to help them return or stop them getting ill in work you want to know about it.
So you create a policy and a standard form. And when someone is sick you make sure it gets filled in and reviewed.

If you’re still in your probation period, I would of thought it may be extended.Although some policies have been amended to take account of COVID absence.

3 times in one month if you are exceptional we might extend your probation if not we wouldn’t extend

Did they say anything after the 2nd sickness? If not I wouldn’t worry they can’t be that strict on it

Is it a rule set by your school that you self isolate after a PCR?
Because that’s not the government guidance.

So I’d be querying that if I were leading the meeting. Mostly though I’d just want to get a feel for what was going on. Honestly, I’d have you on my “watch” list. Not in a bullying way, but I’d be checking further absences. This is a peak time of year in school for lots of sickness, so I’d be aware of that when I spoke to you.

@Cocomarine

Is it a rule set by your school that you self isolate after a PCR? Because that’s not the government guidance.

So I’d be querying that if I were leading the meeting. Mostly though I’d just want to get a feel for what was going on. Honestly, I’d have you on my “watch” list. Not in a bullying way, but I’d be checking further absences. This is a peak time of year in school for lots of sickness, so I’d be aware of that when I spoke to you.

You have to self isolate if you have symptoms until you get your PCR results!

Good chance to ask what the rules are where you work are about isolating if have a PCR if symptomatic.
Might be worth contacting your manager each time you need a pcr in future to check. If they want you in, you go in.

Obviously they will follow government rules, but worth asking each time for clarification.

@bestsoupintown bottom of the class for me for reading comprehension! Somehow I’d read that completely wrong as a PCR cos the child had a cough after the D&V! My bad

@NotYourCupOfTea

3 times in one month if you are exceptional we might extend your probation if not we wouldn’t extend

We wouldn't even consider extending it one month in. The contract would be terminated.

They will want to go through the reasons for your absence, check if you need any support and look at what can be done going forward.

It's difficult when you are ill but I would (rightly or wrongly) go in with the chest infection unless I was absolutely knocking on death's door.

I work in a school and lead a department. I would like to think that I am a very supportive leader and I am always understanding if colleagues need to be off for illness/ill kids etc. However, that level of absence would concern me and it does create work for the rest of the team so I would want to find ways to reduce it going forward.

I would've gone into work with a chest infection, frankly - especially if it was my third absence.

I’m not sure if all schools are the same but in my last post anything covid related couldn’t be recorded as sickness due to the pandemic.

Have a look at your school staff absence policy. I’d suspect it will be something along the lines of the absence management procedure will trigger after either 12 days absence in a school year and/or 4 separate periods of sickness. Covid ones usually don’t count towards the total but just have it in your mind that you may be edging close to the threshold. Make sure you have your sicknotes and clear reasons why you were off and emphasise that it’s extraordinary rather than normal. I’d expect some leeway as we are all low immunity after so much social distancing. For example: my dc almost never gets ill, lucky thing, but has been so poorly this term already. Lots of kids off at our primary school apparently plus half the admin staff.

Honestly I'd have likely gone in chest infection in a new job. Even if I was then sent home.