To go on sick leave again?

[ElleDeeCB]

I’ve just returned to work following a month’s absence where my GP signed me off as not fit to work. I went back at the end of last week. My employer has scheduled a meeting on Monday to do a risk assessment to address the issues that have caused me need to take time off.

Unfortunately the key issue that led to me becoming sick also occurred whilst I was back at work last week. It’s put me back at square one health wise. I was very upset that my employer hadn’t taken any steps to try and prevent this from happening, at least until we’d had a chance to do the Risk Assessment. They are fully aware of the problems as Occupational Health provided them a report 4-weeks ago (just before I went on sick leave).

I want to go back to work on Monday and try and do the risk assessment etc, but I am feeling very unwell.

AIBU to self certify for another 7 days and try and see my GP again? Can I even self certify given that I had been off for such an extended period? I returned to work last week but it was just for one day.

Is there any way you can contact occupational health? My worry would be taking another leave of absence would then count as a separate illness and may impact your pay.
However, if you’re not ready to return and the problems are still there then take the time off and speak to occupational health.

Was there an option to speak to your employer before returning? It seems odd that they didn’t arrange for the risk assessment to be completed on your first day back or to offer you a phased return.
L

You do need to engage with the risk assessment on order to avoid being in this situation again. Could you do the meeting without attending the office, if that is where the trigger occurs, or via OH. You may still need time off to recover, especially if you returned too soon, but that should give time to make any adjustments to facilitate your return.

You need to see a GP asap, if you sign off for another week. The standard practice is at 8am GP phone lines open and the software system releases appointments for that day, for that day in a week's time and for that day in 2 week's time. They can backdate a sick note. But your GP has already signed you off for a month, so is aware of your mental health issues. You seem to be running away/unravelling from any kind of workplace discussion/confrontation. Your issues seem to be stress at work, preventing you working. It sounds like you can't cope without an advocate supporting you and being your voice at a work meeting. Go to the mind.org.uk website or ask your company HR for an advocate. 1. Get your GP to umbrella support you. 2. Get an advocate you can talk to and be your voice at a work meeting. 3. Find a solution to being better supported at work, or a temporary working breathing space solution until you can find a more suitable job. 4. Always remember that when companies give references - they just state dates you started/finished working for them. They don't give any additional information - because every ex-employee has the right to sue them for libel or slander, so it's every company's policy.

Thank you everyone for your advice. I am going to try and go in tomorrow and do the Risk Assessment meeting. Really want to work, but I simply can’t if the same thing happens like it did on my first day back. The thing that causes difficulty isn’t essential to me getting on with much of the job, so I’m hoping that there’s a phased return or light duties or something that can get me through. I’m trying to hang on in there as I really like the work and the issue will resolve itself in about 7 months time, and things will get back to normal.

Good luck! I'm dreading this happening to me.

You can speak to your GP and discuss getting a fit note that specifies a phased return or amended duties if that would help.

good luck

Yes my GP suggested things like WFH but I told her that I was very keen to get back to work. I’m just so disappointed that my employer just sat on all the information provided by Occupational Health but didn’t make the slightest bit of effort to try and prevent the problems that had set me back on my return, even just for one day until we did the Risk Assessment.

What are you asking for in your report? Something like a reasonable adjustment for you specifically or a wider improvement because of unsafe practices?

I'm not clear what happened to you before the last bout of absence and then again immediately on return.

So sorry this has happened to you. In a perfect world there shouldn’t have been a repeat, but…..

Are you in a Union? If so, get your Union Rep in to support you.

is the cause of your illness defined as a disability?

check out Citizens Advice (this is the England link) about problems at work. If

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/

Good luck