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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teaching sick leave. Can I still work supply if signed off from part time teaching job?

56 replies

Snowdrop32 · 09/12/2023 17:21

I'm am really stressed by my job and it is making me ill. I work part time and pick up supply on my non contracted days. This work does not stress me. If I get signed off from my permanent post can I still do supply? Does anyone know?

OP posts:
x2boys · 09/12/2023 17:24

I think that would be classed as fraud because you would be getting sick pay from your current job for being to ill.to work yet working in the same capacity for another employer ?

Viviennemary · 09/12/2023 17:26

It sounds dodgy to me. I wouldn't risk it.

Gymnopedie · 09/12/2023 17:26

No I don't think you can and it would be unreasonable to do so. If you are signed off then it's from teaching. I wouldn't expect anyone to say it was reasonable, despite your assurances that the supply work doesn't cause you stress.

Cherrysoup · 09/12/2023 17:26

Absolutely no. Just resign and go on permanent supply.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 09/12/2023 17:26

You're signed off sick from teaching. This could cause you even more stress as a result of your usual employer then instigating gross professional misconduct disciplinary proceedings when they find out, as they would likely argue that you aren't sick if you're doing the same job somewhere else whilst taking sick pay from them. And if they're that toxic an employer in the first place, they are pretty much guaranteed to do this. You also don't need the additional stress of trying to keep it secret when there's a very high likelihood that your current head would know about it within about half a day as safer recruitment procedures kick in.

You're also far better off not doing anything before asking your union than the internet, as you won't get accused/insulted/poorly advised.

BringMeTea · 09/12/2023 18:01

Don't do this OP. It won't end well. You have my full sympathy but don't do this.

alwaysbreaks · 09/12/2023 18:02

It’s classed as fraud. Nurses get struck off the register for doing this so I’m assuming teaching would have similar rules.

TeaKitten · 09/12/2023 18:03

Check with your union but I’d be shocked if it’s allowed, it shouldn’t be. Can you resign and teach supply full time?

WhichIsItWendy · 09/12/2023 18:07

Are the stresses in your permanent job long term stresses? If so, then why are you off sick rather than resigning?

It's a bit unclear to be honest. You work part time supply and enjoy that, so why don't you increase those hours? I've had jobs I don't enjoy before and in those cases, I leave.

To be honest with you, it doesn't sound like you're actually ill given you'd like to keep working in a different job. It just sounds like you aren't enjoying your permanent job. So yes, I think YABU being off sick and thinking of working elsewhere.

I also think it would be a stackable offense if they found out.

VickyEadieofThigh · 09/12/2023 18:09

Absolutely not acceptable. You cannot continue to take sick pay if you're able to work.

You need to resign.

LIZS · 09/12/2023 18:09

In theory you can , if it is clear that the issue affecting job 1 does not affecting job 2 and no reasonable adjustment can be made. For example if it were a physical issue job 1 involved lifting and standing for a long period while job 2 was seated with shorter hours. However I think since both are teaching, hands on, similar hours, it would be very difficult. Do you usually work for same LA?

Blueroses99 · 09/12/2023 18:10

If you do your part time teaching job Monday to Wednesday, and supply on Thursday and Friday (for example), are you asking if you could still do supply on Thursdays and Fridays (effectively a second job) or are you looking to do supply Monday to Wednesday as well while signed off sick?

I think that it is legitimately possible to be signed off one job but be fit to work another (though I don’t know if there are different rules in education).

PP have assumed that you are intending to work supply on days that you are signed off from your part time job, which would not be allowed.

Strawberryjams · 09/12/2023 18:19

I would think this would be against the rules or at the very least cause some irreversible damage at your permanent post, which any teachers know how toxic some schools can be. I assume you are signed off with WRS? Therefore working is causing the stress so would be difficult to prove it was one over the other.
You have my fullest sympathies as teaching is be a really tough job and at times schools can be a toxic place to work. We are but a number. I’ve recently dropped to 4 days due to feeling so overwhelmed and exhausted. There have been no jobs available elsewhere due to cuts and I can’t afford to drop more. So far this is making a massive difference for me.

Lougle · 09/12/2023 18:33

In short, no. There are circumstances when being signed off sick from one job does not prevent the other, but that is when the characteristics of the job are significantly different. E.g. you could be signed off of a public facing job because of immunosuppressant treatment, but still fit to do a job that involves working from home.

Two teaching jobs are likely to be so similar to each other that you couldn't justify the difference. You could say that supply work doesn't involve planning, marking, team meetings, etc., but it is still essentially the same job.

rwalker · 09/12/2023 20:04

No can’t and end up sacked
your school will be well pissed off they be paying you in full for being of sick then paying for supply to cover

if it was a different type of job as in one was a physical job and the other desk based then you could be off sick from one and work the other

Junemoon222 · 09/12/2023 20:06

This reply has been deleted

We're afraid we don't believe that the OP is genuine so we've removed their threads and posts.

leccybill · 09/12/2023 20:09

I see what you're saying and I get it but I don't think it's very ethical.

modgepodge · 09/12/2023 20:13

Interesting answers. I actually think it would be acceptable, assuming you only did supply on the days you didn’t usually work in the signed off job.

if a teacher worked part time at 2 schools and was signed off sick from one due to stress, would they automatically have to be signed off sick at the other too? It is entirely possible to find one teaching job v stressful due to toxic work environment, whilst another might be just lovely.

Rocknrollstar · 09/12/2023 20:18

No you can’t do another job if you are signed off from teaching I was signed off after a major op and towards the end of my sick leave I taught one day for the OU (a revision session before exams for my students) and I was told that the school could simply cancel all my sick pay

Xil · 09/12/2023 20:23

If you're signed off with work related stress, that should apply to the specific role at the specific workplace, as it's likely down to the conditions, the line manager, the processes, deadlines, demands etc.

If you had a completely different type of job from teaching, which didn't cause the same stresses in that part of the week you would go ahead, so I don't see why this should be different.

Going in to supervise pre-set work and just be in the moment adapting for the kids in front you without being a permanent member of staff releases you from marking loads, punitive 'quality assurance' or the PM cycle, long twilights and means people appreciate you being there to pick up the slack.

Toddlerteaplease · 09/12/2023 20:26

A nurse I knew, was signed off with stress. But still did agency. She was sacked.

Toddlerteaplease · 09/12/2023 20:32

I find agency nursing less stressful than my day job. But I absolutely wouldn't do it if off sick for any reason.

Senseofsomething · 09/12/2023 20:36

I wouldn’t do that. Too many potential dramas!

Take the time off till the end of term, have a proper break and look after yourself…. then if you don’t want to go back to the PT role in Jan you resign.

if you do, you can do supply full time and then see where life takes you next. With a teaching qualification there will always be work for you so choosing to leave a job shouldn’t be a major issue.

Fuzziduck · 09/12/2023 20:42

You'd be one of the those people in court we read about for fraud benefit. Absolute not ok legally.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 09/12/2023 20:44

Surely this would be fraud. Plus you are screwing over the tax payers if you do this. Also if you are too stressed to do normal teaching then you should be equally too stressed to do supply.

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