To think this doctors note is ridiculous

[Bluesjies]

Okay this employer has always been a bit lazy but we’ve just had to put up with it.
She does around half the work of other colleagues but we’ve never been able to do anything about it as she does just enough to avoid her being sacked.

Anyway we allocated her a few tasks to do which include several in person meetings (can’t be virtual on this occasion for various reasons).
We knew she didn’t like attending meetings as she prefers just working from home so wondered if she’d say she was sick on the day or say she was not well enough to not work from home.
We can’t avoid attending meetings forever. She’s more than competent when she is in them. I think it’s just she lives an hour from the meeting place and she doesn’t like the commute, getting up early etc.
We do try to have teams meetings where we can but it’s not always possible.

Anyway the meeting on Monday has been arranged and she informed me she could not attend as she was having pain and struggling to walk 🙄”. I replied the meeting isn’t for four days. Will the pain be better then? She didn’t reply but then a couple days later submitted a doctors note saying she needs to work from home until her maternity leave (in 4 months) due to pelvic pain.
There’s not much we can do here really if there’s a doctors note. Or so I thought.

I happened to see her walking perfectly well down a road near her home today so I do have evidence she’s more than able to mobilise.

AIBU to think her note is just nonesense and challenge her on her perfect walking ability? I don’t know why these GP’s write these notes out when it’s not the truth.

Or am I best to silently seeth and get on with it.

The OP is being ignorant in this instance but actually many do!
It's so hard to even get a GP appointment they don't even check, just write a sick note and job done.

No it’s not that difficult. You stick like glue to your company or organisations policies. You make sure everything is documented. You set achievable targets, then challenge when they aren’t met. You are scrupulous with performance management meetings, 121 meetings, absence records etc. It takes time, you have to bite your tongue, but eventually either the evidence is there and you initiate capability actions, or the employee gets tired of the monitoring and leaves of their own accord. If you go about it half heartedly then , yes, your employee will take the piss if they are that way inclined. You have now been backed into a corner by her pregnancy, you best hope is that she decides not to return to work.

Don’t challenge it now as that’s just going to be sleepwalking into a discrimination claim. Her doctor has said she needs to wfh and unless you have medical evidence to counter it that’s that.

She should have been managed better when she was being lazy and underperforming before her pregnancy. She’s either doing her job properly or she isn’t, and in the latter she should have been performance managed. Unfortunately having put up with it and not managed her properly until now, now is not the right time to start. Wait until she’s back and settled after her leave/

How exactly would you like a doctor to test a pregnant woman to see if she actually has pain when she walks? Perhaps make her do a run on a treadmill and assess at which point she collapses or cries? Have you ever been to the GP for back pain or similar? I remember being 16 and the doctor heaving my legs all over the place to see which positions hurt, i left in more pain than i went in with, barely upright and sobbing in agony. But yes, that's clearly how we should treat people. Assume they're lying and force them to prove the pain is real.

YABVU

I'm WFH currently due to PGP. It's horrific and you sound like a dickwad by complaining about your struggling employee to be honest. Get over yourself and have some compassion FFS

"Will the pain be better then?"

WTAF. How can anyone know if pain will be better in 4 days time? No wonder she didn't reply.

She has enough to report you though thankfully and hopefully sees this post

To be Frank she was near home and will have been advised to try to keep mobile for her strength and her stamina with labour looming. Whether you believe it or not this is a genuine condition of pregnancy.
The wider issue of you thinking she is lazy, looking to get rid etc seems curious that you are setting her up to fail during pregnancy, surely this complicates the situation. Why on earth has her lack of productivity not been brought up before?

It's obviously bollocks but the justice system is too unreliable now to count on it defending you without some solid evidence against her, such as multiple time-stamped videos of her doing gymnastics and marathons.

Just remember it and deal later once she's been back from leave for a few months.

My initial reaction is that the health or the pregnant employee and the unborn baby(s) is quite a bit more important than any single meeting that must be in person because "reasons".

I have mobility problems, it's very frustrating when someone sees you walking to the corner shop and assume you and your doctor are lying about the whole lot.

I've noticed it a lot with my friend who has bipolar, if she's having a low or manic spell and declines something like a cinema trip because she knows she won't cope, but is seen smiling walking her dog two mins from home she's been called a liar or making excuses to get out of going to cinema. I've heard people suggest someone can't have depression because they had the audacity to go to the beach or if someone isn't limping or looking distressed then they can't possibly be in pain.

I ended up isolating myself when I first became unwell because I hated cancelling things, I was worried if I was ever spotted about by colleagues I'd be called a liar. You would never know by looking at me doing my shopping the agony I am in.

You seeing her walking doesn't mean she's not in pain or struggling.

They can get a proper assessment you should be able to arrange an occupational health assessment

I had horrendous pelvic issues and pain during both pregnancies. My first employer forced me into the office until I took my mat leave ridiculously early as I just couldn’t bear the pain of moving and commuting. Second time around my new employer was so understanding. I was not trying to get out of working and doing everything that was asked of me from home. They even booked a taxi for me to come into the office to say goodbye to everyone before my mat leave.

I would call her bluff if you want to and offer to book her a cab from home to the office. It will be very expensive but you will at least have confirmation if physical issues are the real issue.

Whilst this employee may be pulling a fast one it is a huge red flag that you do not seem to accept that severe pelvic issues exist in pregnancy.

Pretty appalling to be discussing an employee’s health on a Public Forum.

You are being a real twat. Has it not occurred to you she might well be able to 'walk down the road near her house' but not walk around all day in an office plus the commute? Sounds like you/your company needs some management training.

As a disabled person with walking issues you are most definitely an AH. GP's don't write these notes because they have nothing better to do. Just because you have seen her walking does not mean she isn't hurting - you are more limited in what meds you can take whilst pregnant.. Sometimes I could look completely normal before I started using a wheelchair, didn't make the pain any less.

Your post sounds like you really don't like this woman, and I hope you don't come across this way in real life, as even on here you come across as a shitty boss

As a caring employer, you could probably call her to arrange a visit to her home to do a welfare check and make sure she is OK to still work from home and see if there is anything she needs to help her be more comfortable at home. And also see if she is swinging the lead...

Otherwise, yeah, just hope she doesn't come back! Public sector and pregnant would be a nightmare to navigate.

So her sickness has only been a problem in pregnancy?
Have you ever been pregnant, or read anything about the effect of pregnancy on the body?
Some people are not made for pregnancy, give her a break. The last thing she needs right now is to be stressed about whether she’ll have a job to return to! You sound like a very unsympathetic manager.

I don't think you're wrong at all. Some people (regardless of gender) do take the piss, just because they know it'd be incredibly difficult to fire them. Especially in the public sector.

Of course you can manage out poor performing employees in the public sector, assuming you follow the correct procedures and provide clear and unambiguous instructions for her to follow.

OP, I think you need additional training and support yourself if you’ve been struggling to manage this employee adequately before she got pregnant. Your other staff are also likely to become de-motivated and leave if you’re shrugging your shoulders and making excuses instead of tackling the problem.

Have you tried approaching a more senior manager in your organisation for mentoring help?

Wtf? Trying to visit her home to check her out is wildly inappropriate and invasive.

Really?! I don't live in the UK anymore, but when I was in the UK and pregnant, the doctors and midwives would be wanting to check out the position not just writing a sick note. You are saying this would happen now even if someone were pregnant?

I do hope that this employee is able to identify themselves from this if it hits the papers, lovely payment for their discrimination or constructive dismissal claim 😉

I really wouldn't offer to book her a cab, it has no bearing whatsoever on if she's able to do the job face to face, or her pain is greater or lesser throughout the day after doing various activities such as getting in and out of a car - with "getting in and out of a car" literally being listed on the nhs website as one of the tasks that if it's painful you should see a midwife or GP about.

The OP is heading fast for a tribunal already

I had severe pelvic pain while pregnant and I still do 27yrs later. You wouldn’t have caught me walking down the road. I was either in bed or a
wheelchair because I got past the point of crutches and a support belt helping me. I still can’t walk down the road unaided. I’d love to be able tbh. Maybe she’s swinging the lead, maybe she was having a good day, you’ll never know.

Any manager with any form of management experience would not mistake employer for employee….just saying …