How do you go on sick leave?

[BeautifulStranger2]

Hi,

Sorry if im posting in the wrong place. My head is all over the place at the moment and I need some guidance ! How do you tell your employer that your going on sick leave ? In an email? In a call?

ill try keep it brief. I work for a corporate-ish company and I’ve been there 15 months. I’ve been unhappy for a while as my manager is unbearable, checks every little thing me and my colleague do and is very unhinged. I am permanently remote, but I wake up dreading work every day. I don’t want to login and it’s affecting my family life. I have three small children to look after. I’ve checked my contract and I’m entitled to 12 weeks full pay on sick leave. I already know I don’t want to go back.

can someone please advise what I need to do here and how to tell them?

You can self-certify for a week without having to do anything other than notify your employer. You might need to call every day.

For longer than that you will need signing off by a doctor. A doc is unlikely to sign you off for 12 weeks, if they agree it’ll be 2 weeks and then they’ll review.

What you actually want is to resign.

Do you want or need a reference from this company

You need to resign. The 12 weeks isn’t an entitlement like holiday pay. If you don’t want the job then leave. You can’t just ask fo be signed off for your “entitled” period - they’ll absolutely know you’re swinging the lead!

You just call in sick on your first day, by whatever means your employee handbook, says you should use, just as with any sick leave. You may self-certify for the first 7 consecutive days, after that you will need a fit note from the doctor.

If you aren’t well enough to return on day 8, and your haven’t done so already, you call your GP and talk to them about how you are feeling. They will suggest the best course of action, which might mean talking therapy, and/or medication, and/or further time off. If they feel you can’t work, they will issue a sick note for a period of time. When I was away with work related stress, they signed me off for two weeks at a time.

I'm sorry you are feeling under pressure but I think you are misunderstanding paid sick leave. You can't just go off for 12 weeks.
You can call in sick for 7 days without having a fit note or other proof of sickness. For illness over 7 days you need to get signed off by your GP.
Your company will pay you for a maximum of 12 weeks after which you would normally revert to statutory sick pay.
Your company is also likely to have an absence management policy with a trigger point when they look at your absence record. Where I work the trigger point is 8 days.

You are normally expected to call your Manager before your start time - it should be explained in your organisation's sickness policy.

Then you can self certify for 7 days (in total, including non-working days), and after that you have to get a Fit Note signing you off work from your doctor.

Thank you. There is the slight possibility I would return if the work load changed. I’m just unhappy and can’t cope right now.

I don't think it's sick leave you should pursue but rather ask to see your line manager and explain how you feel about the unreasonable demands and how it is making you anxious.
Ask them to put measures in place to improve the situation.
Keep a note of the meeting and ask for a copy of their notes.

Sorry you're finding it tough OP.

Are you too ill to work or are you using this time to find a new job?

I'd think carefully as sick time used can be included in references to any new employer.

Agree with Pp- first if you are able to need to call a meeting with your manager. Explain what is difficult.

I would be looking for another job asap and if you can manage with going on sick leave that will be easier.

Do you have any access to a health and wellbeing service at work if you are feeling stressed? Or via GP if not.

So stressful. What I'd do is try and cope by taking deep breaths and keeping in mind your boss is unhinged. I would shower them with praise and get the f out.

If its unbearable, take a week off self certificated and then tell the doctor what's happening and the stress it's causing on your life.

You'll be fine but it's a pain in the arse.

Go and see your gp and ask to be signed off with stress. I caveat this by saying speak to your manager first. ----

Phone if you are unwell.

Start looking for another job.

Just to point out - you have been there 15 months and you are asking to plan 3 months sick leave. How do you think that will look on your CV when you apply for these other jobs? If you plan to resign, and you clearly do, then have the good grace to do so. Or submit a grievance about the way things are. But don't assume that prospective employers will be lining up when they find out that you are on long term sick leave with that length of service. They will be expecting you to do the same thing to them.

Call manager as if you would if it's any other illness, this is for up to a week (or it did change to 10 days at one point) then go to GP and discuss a fit note with them, they may suggest things that might help you work or they may say you are not fit for work. They tend to like to do this for up to two weeks initially unless it's something like you've broken both your legs and need 8 weeks to recover. They won't sign it for 13 weeks. Discuss with the GP how you will resolve this, eg. During the two weeks you are going to start looking for another job.

I think the glaring point here surely is your not sick? Either you can’t do your job or you don’t like your job, it’s not the responsibility of your employer to subsidise your living because you want a rest.

But going on sick leave isn’t going to change anything, you will come back to just the same. If you want a change in responsibilities you need to discuss that, not go on sick leave.

Take a week to get your head together, be honest and tell them it’s stress related
speak to your gp if you need longer you need longer
then when you speak to your manager you tell them the workload is to much and if it continues you’ll need more leave

Ask your manager for a meeting. I would be doing a ‘stress risk assessment’ with you. if your manager can’t, ask to speak to HR.

If things can’t be resolved, resign. Expecting 3 months paid sick leave after only 15 months’ service is a bit much, imo.

As others have said, this 12 weeks isn't an entitlement and I personally don't think it's right to use it if you're not really sick. You'll get 7 days self certified and then after that your GP might sign you off for another 2 weeks for stress but it's unlikely to be extended after that.

It's there for people who need to have surgery or who have serious long-term conditions. By all means take your 7 days off but then go back and talk to your HR department. File a complaint if you have to but using the sick system because you don't like your job isn't the way to go.

I’ve worded the end bit badly, but if they won’t adjust the workload it’s likely you’ll be to stressed and need further time off

you need to be clear the workload is the cause of how you are feeling and they should take action if they don’t then you know it’s not a company you’d want to work for anymore

As others have said, it maybe available, but it it's not an entitlement.

Read your staff handbook on how to report - many organisations will require you to contact your line manager or HR team by phone (not text or email); typically one week will be available before a GP's "fit for work" note is required.

If your line manager's behaviour is causing you so much stress that you need time away from the work place, see your GP and arrange that, and ideally discuss with your HR team to see if improvements can be made on your return.
If you simply can't be arsed to do the job, resign.

You clearly don't know anything about workplace stress then. I became very ill due to my workload. I was only 9 months in so I didn't go sick but I should have. Stress gave me physical symptoms too.

You need to be sick to go on sick leave. It's pay for when you're sick, not a leave entitlement.

Have you discussed these issues with work and told them what you'd like to change? Talk to your manager's manager or HR if you have issues with your manager. Give them a chance to put things right rather than just going on sick leave.

You could probably get signed off by your GP for stress but unless you then want to change jobs, it's probably not the most constructive way to start.

Also op ignore the posters saying that sick leave is not for stress
it is absolutely for any mental health issue!! And I’d argue your mental health is just as important as physical health