Will work contact my next of kin/named contact when I’m off sick?

[Ui1084]

when is that contact ever contacted? I’m off sick and worried contact will be made

That's only for emergencies so if you had an accident at work and were killed or knocked unconscious or perhaps if you walked out upset and were uncontactable and they were worried you might do something.

My brother in laws work place rang his mother when he was taking constant sick days. How embarrassing for a grown man.

They are concerned for your welfare that's all. Keep in regular contact when they contact you and they have no reason to contact your next of kin.

As a manager the only time I've only contacted NOK once.

This was for a staff member who had been signed off for a week with depression and mental health concerns. She then didn't come into work the day we expected her back, didn't call and didn't answer her phone when we tried to call her. When we still hadn't had any contact by mid-morning we called her NOK contact to check she was ok. Fortunately everything was fine.

NOK contact details are for emergencies only and your situation is nothing like that.

You do need to have somebody that work can contact though. I suspect HR would be reluctant to let you remove the details you currently have without replacing it with someone else. Ours is on an online portal and the system simply wouldn't let you delete it. Perhaps a trusted friend?

Hope you have a good recovery. Sounds like you have a supportive workplace.

You seem to have a strange mindset.

I think most people would appreciate someone from work checking you are okay and don't need anything.

You Next of Kin is only for emergencies - there is an accident or medical episode at work and they want to let someone know. Of course they won't be chatting to them about your post - op recovery.

Why don't you ask them on the call tomorrow 'can I just check, when you have an emergency contact on file for someone, under what circumstances would they be contacted?' Be breezy about it and brush off any follow up questions with 'that's ok I was just wondering, you have answered my question'.

Depends, some idiots (HR) do actually contact next if kin, I was late for work one day years ago ( unavoidable) and they contacted my next of kin
Why does it concern you, if you are off sick you should have told your work place so that they know you are alive and the reason why you can’t come in

That;s a breach of GDPR. I he made a complaint to the ICO he would get a decent payout and the company would get a large fine.

I’ve had occasions where someone in the team hasn’t called in sick. I always WhatsApp first to see if they’re ok. Usually they haven’t contacted me because they’re unwell and asleep. Or sometimes even overslept even if not ill. If they didn’t respond by the afternoon i’d probably send their emergency contact a message. I actually care about these people and for all I know they could have injured themselves or be unconscious.

HR will have certain things to ask you as a wellbeing check. It won’t be to check up on you in a bad way. When I do return to work interviews with my team I always have to ask some well-being questions. I think it’s actually more to cover the company to be honest than genuine concern. Like if you mentioned depression or anxiety we have a mental health referral team for you to talk to. Basically, if you were to end up committing suicide the company can say “well, atleast we tried to help”

This just sounds like a decent employer making sure you are ok. I don't think they will make contact with anyone.

Why does it bother you so much if they contact your next of kin? Like if you don't want those people to be contacted ever, it might be best not to list them with work...

I presume they tried getting in contact with you first and were unable to? If so, I think that is a reasonable scenario to contact your NoK, i.e. to make sure you are ok.

Where I work, someone didn't turn up for work and they couldn't raise them, so the police were sent to the house for a welfare check. I think it is just about concern and duty of care usually (with a good employer).

I've only ever called Next of kin once. A member of staff with severe depression who had mentioned not wanting to be alive anymore. Couldn't get hold of her at all when she was meant to return back to work. I tried her personal mobile, work mobile, emails and house phone. She lived alone and after several hours I couldn't stop worrying. Next step was going to be to call police for a welfare check.
But if it was just whilst you were signed off and we has spoken then no I wouldn't, I may check in every few days via message (with your agreement)

I was less than an hour late and couldn’t contact the office, there was absolutely no need for it, If I had been in contactable for 3/4+ hours it might have been understandable but not less than an hour, ridiculous to worry next of kin unnecessarily

They wouldn’t contact next of kin if you are off sick but in contact with them. The question they asked re support at home would be from a duty of care perspective, not because they’re planning on telling your mum on you, so to speak.

They’d contact next of kin if you were seriously injured at work or if you didn’t arrive at work and couldn’t be contacted. It’s important that they do with the latter. I’ve known of two instances relatively recently where colleagues didn’t arrive at work as normal, lived alone, and they had actually passed away.

My boss once did this when I was late in due to a doctors appointment which he'd forgotten about (despite repeated reminders both written & verbal). I was only out of the office 2 hours.

Luckily I reached my parents before they got his message but I was not impressed.

In short, op, if you've called in sick then unless they have a specific reason to worry about your safety, I wouldn't expect them to contact anyone.

No they won't, they might if you weren't at work when you were supposed to be to check all was well if you hadn't contacted them, or if you had an accident at work.

Even though you're signed off they still have a duty of care (not a responsibility mind) and so it's good they checked you had support- they would have possibly offered access to some workplace support if not and perhaps seen if you wanted to agree to check ins for your own sake.

The latest update where you mentioned that they emailed you with info about anxiety and said they're glad you have support at home makes me think they are trying to keep a record in case your MH deteriorates. They don't want to appear uncaring.

I don't imagine they'll contact your next of kin unless they lose contact with you

Tell them that you've been meaning to remove them for a while and being off sick reminded you :)

No - it happens all the time. People move away or become incapacitated or die. Just tell them you're waiting to hear back from someone you've asked to replace the original contact.

When exH and I separated I removed him as my emergency contact and asked a neighbour if she'd be willing to have her details added. You don't have to be related to your emergency contact. You don't even have to live nearby. I am the emergency contact for two of my DCs who live in another time zone. One of them is now mine.

Also, you are coming across as more than usually anxious.

Have you spoken to your doctor or the surgical team about the way you're feeling? They can offer support or signpost you to support.

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