To send this to my manager, asking to work from home

[illatthemo]

Background: I am currently being investigated for suspected ulcerative colitis. I get flare-ups of intense stomach cramps, fatigue, fainting/dizziness and diarrhoea. At my worst, I also have bleeding and will be on and off the loo every 30 minutes or so and when this last happened I was sent to A&E by my GP. Even when I don't have symptoms, I have developed anxiety about going out. I have an urgent referral for a colonoscopy but due to long waiting lists this has been delayed. I work from home, but we are expected to go into the office for certain meetings which is a 2 hour commute away. I have two important face-to-face meetings next week. My manager knows I'm waiting for a hospital appointment but doesn't know any of the details

I want to ask whether I can be excused from going into the office for these face-to-face meetings. For one, I will be able to join remotely via Teams although it won't be ideal. For the other one, it's a big company wide meeting which is in-person... I want to avoid taking sick days as much as possible due to my attendance already being affected by this issue and another health issue otherwise I would call in sick if I was experiencing symptoms. The company-wide meeting is the one that I don't think I can get out of as they are strict on attendance as it's catered and in a nice venue.

I want to message my manager something along these lines:
Hi [manager], as you know I'm currently waiting for a hospital appointment following an urgent referral. Whilst waiting for the appointment I have been having flare-ups of symptoms that make it difficult for me to leave the house. I was wondering if it would be possible to work from home over the next few weeks whilst waiting for my appointment? I'm happy to have a call to discuss in more detail, or to contact occupational health to ask for their advice.

Or do I just suck it up and try and get on with things the best I can?

Send it to your manager and I hope you feel better soon

I think that's fine; I'm going to have a similar conversation with my manager on Monday (although for a different health reason) and don't expect him to say anything other than 'fine'.

I’d send it, the worst they can say is absolutely not, but hopefully they’ll say give me a call let’s sort something out.

I hope you get sorted quickly

Hi - I think you posted yesterday about your appt.

I think that sounds fine and you should send it.

I've always found my GP so helpful and I'm sure they'd write a letter for you - sick not saying you can go to work with certain adjustments.

If you are feeling well though and not in a flare up you should go in where possible in my opinion.

Can you submit a 6 month flexible working request in conjunction with OH and HR? This way it is in writing and enforceable.

I have a large team and a couple of them have tried it on now we are going back to the office more, and I tow a pretty hard line and have only approved one.

Reading your summary I'd approve yours in a heartbeat.

When did you get referred? Could you get a doctors letter saying that you've had a urgent referral to hospital and in the doctors opinion you should work from home. If I'm honest without medical proof I would expect you to attend the meetings especially if your attendance is poor. Does your company have medical cover that perhaps you could use to be seen privately

Yes do send it. And get in touch with occupational health as well if you haven't already.

That sounds good. If they are concerned then you can ask to have a conversation with HR and Occ Health too, to work out what suits.

Obviously no idea what your company is like, but when I had a less tangible/fixable medical issue this year (severe anaemia that made commuting almost impossible) I told my manager first, then had conversations with HR too where we all agreed that WFH was the best for a while and to just keep in touch regularly and see how I felt and when it seemed a good time to try a commute and full working day. Everything went smoothly and they were fully supportive, but I think my willingness to keep talking and keeping them in the loop really helped as it made me look as proactive as I could be in the situation

Hope you get your tests sooner rather than later.

But yes, as a PP says, you may need a doctors note as well to support these changes.

I think it's fine and they should accommodate it.

My DH has a similar condition, hope you get a diagnosis soon.

You could potentially get a fit note rather than a sick note. I.e. when you go to the GP for a sick note they can instead write the conditions that would make it possible for you to work on the note?

I'd probably approach informally as you have done first but it's worth considering if they aren't keen.

For my team, I would do an Occupational Health referral for this but be happy with you missing the two meeting coming up while that went through.

That sounds fine to send OP.
You could also ask your GP for a fit note stating you need to work from home at present until your condition is investigated and under control with treatment