Will occupational health agree I need to work from home?

[Geeal]

I am so stressed and unhappy. I recently started taking sertraline and whilst it has started to take effect mentally for me, the side effects are grim. I am having to got to the toilet often, struggling with insomnia and feeling panicky every couple of days (Nearly all of this is a result of the stress and shit treatment at work since I had a baby a couple of years ago). I am looking for a new role.

I usually work from home but since Christmas we’ve been told we need to go in two days a week. Since taking these tablets I do not feel I can do this for the reasons explained in the first paragraph. I’m told the symptoms will ease within six weeks. Work have said I can speak to occupational health if I feel I need some adjustments to my work pattern. I haven’t told them I am taking sertraline (it’s a very corporate environment where mental health still isn’t really talked about too much).

Will occupational health support this? And will they tell HR and my manager I am struggling mentally?

OH will write a report following your meeting with them, which will be given to your line manager. This is to help you, otherwise there isn't any point.

However, you will see the report and make adaptations before it is sent.

Line management will follow the report and the agreed adaptations.

Looking at what you are saying, are you even fit for work, given the symptoms you have?

I think you have to try going into work before you or anyone else can make any decision or adjustments. Working from home is considered by many mental health professionals to be a bad thing. Why don't you give it a try - you might find getting out and being part of a team is beneficial to you. You won't know until you try? I hope you can find a way to make it work for you.

@MacieJayne could this affect my career moving forward then?

@HoskinsChoice I was off sick for two weeks before I started taking the medication and that’s when HR suggested I speak to occupational health as I said I wasn’t sure how I could manage in general coming back. I then just came back and continued working from home and pending the chat with occupational health.

If you've been told symptoms will ease in six weeks it would be reasonable to ask for an adjustment for that six week period. I can't speak for your employer, obviously, but a six week adjustment seems far more likely to be agreed than indefinite homeworking.

If you're not better after six weeks I think that's a bridge to cross when you come to it.

@SwanOfThoseThings thanks.

will occupational health have to speak to my GP? @HoskinsChoice @MacieJayne

Occupational Health (OH) offer 'impartial' advice to employers regarding the fitness for work of their employees.
They will inform you that, with your consent, a written report will be sent to your line manager following your consultation.

You have the right to see the report before it is sent to your line manager.
You also have the right to withhold the report.
OH should explain this to you.
OH are likely determine if your under lying medical issues fit the criteria of disability under the Equality Act. They may request your medical consent to write to your GP for a private and confidential background medical report.

They may suggest reasonable adjustments.
Management must look at the advice and determine if it is reasonable to implement the advice in regard to the policies and procedures of your workplace.
Make sure your GP is aware of the issues you are facing x

Difficult to make your wfh case if you haven’t and won’t disclose the nature of your illness or your medication to your line manager.

I didn’t know if occupational health had to disclose the illness

When you speak to occupational health you can ask them what they need to disclose.

It sounds reasonable to ask that your return to the office is delayed by up to six weeks while you adjust to the medication. Antidepressant side effects can be horrible but do often settled down, or become something you can live with.

If your employer is not supportive of mental health conditions it may be worth looking for a different job.

Is it better to try and avoid occupational health entirely?

Why would you try to avoid OH? They're trying to help you.

@SuperSange im worried it will affect my career down the line

Well, you're either able to work at home of not. If you're going to withhold information from OH, they can't help you. It seems to me that you're playing them.

I think if you want the adjustment you'll have to speak to occupational health, so it's up to you to decide which option seems worse. You shouldn't be treated less favourably for disclosing a medical condition. If you asked your manager for a 6 week adjustment they might just agree it without occupational health.

The service my employer uses has had an overwhelming number of referrals to do with WFH, you won't be alone. I had an adjustment made to mine (I still don't WFH full time though) and the person I spoke to was the nicest woman. I was so anxious about the appointment beforehand but it was worth it.

@SuperSange playing them how…

The side effects of the antidepressants will improve, you're best bet is to ask for adjustments to allow you to wfh for 6 weeks. But, to do this and justify why you need this you will need to disclose that you're on medications with initial side effects.

You're effectively asking for a flexible working request, there are only a finite number of reasons why one of these can be refused.

Surely it will affect your career if you are unable to go into work and don't give a reason why, so OH is worth a try? What is the alternative?

Management can either accommodate you continuing to WFH or they can't. An OH report suggesting it would help you means they will have to consider it and either allow or deny with justification.

I know where you are coming from OP I am currently off sick and will need to speak to OH - I also wonder whether they will agree to my reasonable adjustment.

I have had an OH report before and while I could see it before it was sent to my boss - I was told that only factual things could be changed - not any advice they offered - so it may depend on the company.

Thanks. It’s just adding to my anxiety but I agree I don’t have a choice

I know exactly what you mean, I was the same.

Don't let the stigma around mental health stop you seeking support from OccH.
They don't have to disclose your diagnosis to your manager, only the adjustments. Ask for 6 weeks wfh but then ask for another appointment to review your situation before the 6 weeks is up.
If you'd broken your ankle and needed to work at home for 6 weeks would you still be feeling this way?

Are you looking to work from home permanently or temporarily?

Where I work, OH would provide info about the employee's health conditions, how this impacts on their work and may suggest some things to consider as adjustments, but it's down to management to decide what adjustments are reasonable to the role.

We would let someone work from home full-time temporarily if necessary and might be a bit more flexible long-term (i.e. be understanding if someone was below their contractual office expectations in a given month), but it's incredibly rare for people where I work to be able to work from home as a permanent adjustment. Normally people have some better days so we would expect them to come in on those days, and we would look at what adjustments we could make in the office.

It does depend on the employer. Are there other people who permanently work from home where you are?

My situation is different as my job cannot be done from home (teacher) and my condition is physical rather than mental.

However, I found occupational health to be really good. I had the appointment and they wrote a report detailing the suggested adjustments. I was allowed to review it before they shared it with HR, who then spoke to management about the adjustments. It worked well and I have had no issues with my employer at all.
I was quite worried too as although my school is nice, the trust policies don't read as particularly supportive, but it's been completely fine.

I understand you may worry about disclosing your health issue but occupational health will support you with navigating it all.
It shouldn't affect your career down the line at all - truthfully (as a manager myself) your manager probably won't give it that much thought - they will just sort out adjustments and that will be that.

I'd start by asking for 6 weeks wfh and then review from there.

Permemant home working and sickness etc will affect your career within this company. They will not come out and say that but it will, I work for a council and there’s a couple in my dept who’ve done this said they can’t come in due to mental health (we only need to come in 1 day per week the rest from home).

Those particular ones who do this are missing out on a training course which is really beneficial for us next week. One tried to apply for a higher position she wasn’t even offered an interview. Higher progression they’re looking for the dedicated staff (not saying you’re not) but you know what I mean. Of course due to discrimination etc this would never be openly discussed but I see it and so does everyone else.

My friend works for the NHS she’s had long bouts of sickness and every single promotion interview she goes for she’s never once been offered.

So concentrate on getting better first of all and if career progression is what you want you need to be giving it your all and be as unproblematic as possible. I don’t say that to be mean just realistic.