To confront my manager?

[Disillusioned1111]

I started a new job at the end of July. I work nights, my manager works days. I’ve only seen her in person twice since I started the job, once at my induction and once at a team meeting during the day. Last week I was off sick, with a flare up of a long term chronic health condition. I told my manager about this when I was employed as my condition is classed as a disability. I tried to call in on Monday but the phone lines were down, so I emailed her and explained and I told her that I would let her know when I was ready to return to work, no problems. I returned to work last night, having completed my return to work interview via phone. There was an envelope waiting on the office desk with the RTW form for me to sign. In it she has mentioned that I failed to call in on a daily basis and must do so in future. I was a bit miffed because she didn’t mention this on the phone or when I called in, but okay. Bit OTT in my opinion, but fine if that’s procedure. However I then sat down to read the minutes from the weekly team meeting on the Wednesday I was off. ( Night staff don’t get a team meeting, we are just expected to read the minutes posted on a notice board). In it she informs the team that another staff member has left, and then on the line below -

”Disillusioned - no idea what’s happening with her?”

I’m furious. Number one, she knows full well that I was off sick, and why. Number two, why was that being discussed at a team meeting? It’s none of anybody else’s business why I’m off sick, my absence has no direct impact on the day team, I’ve never worked with them or even met all but one of them!!

WIBU to mention this to my manager?

I would pick my battles here if I’m honest. Do you have an induction pack or anything like that to check about sickness policy? In a lot of businesses it’s quite normal to have to phone daily to inform of sickness unless you have submitted a sick line. I’ve been off with covid and a sickness bug in which my work knew I’d be off for a little while but I still had to phone daily. If I can’t get through on phone then I have to try another number and then email. I must then try phone later on in the day. Check your company policy.

It’s annoying you were brought up at the meeting but it may have been for the night staff benefit so they can read the minutes and be updated as to where you were.

I wouldn’t go in arguing, you are new and it won’t look good. I would just ask for a chat and update her on your condition and then ask the sickness policy. Apologise for not phoning daily and in any future absences you will. You can say you are a little confused about the meeting minutes but I wouldn’t be confrontational about it. Sorry op it’s a workplace, yes your business is private but in mine they just say “Hiddenvoice is off sick just now” that’s all people get but informs them incase they are looking for you or are worried you haven’t turned up.

I agree with this ⬆️⬆️

Your manager might not have handled it well but when you're off sick, I think it's wise to have periodic check ins so your team can plan around you. I manage a team and have a staff member who has a disability (which has painful flare ups) and if she's off sick, she calls or emails and then will say, 'l think it's best if I take the rest of the week off'. And then toward the end of the week, gives an update if she's due to be back on Monday or if she'll be getting a doctor's sick note.

As an employer it's nice to have a rough guide so I can work around the sick leave, distribute workload, get a temp if I need to etc.

If it's a new job and you like it, perhaps put this one down to miscommunication and then see how you get on.

She hasn't mentioned anything confidential - just that presumably she doesn't know when you are back because you haven't been updating her daily. Your manager has conveyed that to the team because presumably it impacts the rest of them also, possibly having to cover your shifts or being short staffed. I don't really see how she has done anything wrong ?

OP has another thread on this with quite a few replies

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/work/4905824-wibu-to-confront-my-manager

not getting the responses you’d hope for?

Not at all, I actually posted it here first before I thought that the Work forum might get more responses.

I wouldn't confront no. I'd contact her in writing and say you're just following up on the form, could she clarify please what you were meant to do when the phone lines weren't working. You emailed but was there something different you should have done instead?

I do think calling in daily is normal, even if the update is 'no change and I don't know when I'll be back'. If she has no experience of your condition she may not have known if 'when I'm ready to return' is likely to be a day, a week, a month etc so you may want to provide some guidance so she doesn't have to say in a meeting that she has no idea when you'll be back.

It sounds like she was following company policy so I think confronting would be a mistake