Why have HR asked me this and can I say no?

[Hrrrrhr]

I started some medication recently. A side effect is drowsiness and on those occasions not driving. It’s supposed to settle over 8 weeks. I’ve therefore asked my employer whether I can work from home during this time. My job can completely be done from home and often is. I’ve been there a long time. They’re asking me if they can contact my gp and ask my gp a number of questions instead of going through occupational health as occupational health can take much longer (ie beyond the time I’m asking for to have the adjustment anyway). I’m not comfortable having direct questions sent to my gp as I’ve never heard of this before. I would prefer occupational health. Can anyone explain my rights? Thank you

It seem like OH are ineffective. By definition they should be able to respond much sooner than 8 weeks.

It's not your problem that their Occ Health is so slow....

Just ask to see the questions before hand and be cc'd on the answers. They want to make sure they are giving you the right adjustments and everything you need.

I had an employee and the one of the things she requested was to move her hours from 9-5 to 10:30-630. This was something she mentioned prior to illness and she was just wrapping up a load of things she wanted in her adjustments list.

Can you blame them? OP is trying to get out of working in the office for two months on the basis that her medication might make her feel drowsy

Other people are even suggesting she gets signed off work completely!

Sounds like you want an excuse to wfh for 2 months

You’ve not been clear so far … do you suffer drowsiness? Your employer could also be questioning your ability to work if you’re drowsy.

If you are too drowsy to drive, how can you work?

I agreed.

GP acts in your interest and is unbiased unlike any OH or GP hired by your employer.

In case of any wrong doings in employment you have solid medical documentation.

I think they probably have concerns about your capacity to do your job, as well as concerns that if everyone requested time off work who was on medication that listed drowsiness as a side effect, half the workforce would be home all summer with hay fever so they maybe are worried about setting a precedent.

As so many people would like to wfh, the company has to treat all employees the same so need to cover procedures for wfh requests.

Can you get public transport to work?

By refusing to allow contact with your GP, it will look like you’re exaggerating the effect of the meds.

If you feel so drowsy after taking the meds, surely you would be better off taking sick leave for the eight weeks?

If they are like my last employer's HR, they are like the secret police! They trusted nobody, did nothing that helped anyone other than the employer and tried to cut corner / costs at every turn. This will be them ensuring that you are not pulling a fast one and trying to cut Occ Health out of the loop.

It’s because you’re asking for 8 full weeks of WFH because a possible side effect is drowsiness and it advises not to drive on those occasions.

Employer likely thinks this is a lot, with not a lot of evidence that it is completely necessary. Ie, some days you might feel fine. You might feel totally fine after the first week. You may experience 5 instances of being unable to drive over the course of 8 weeks, but every other day feel quite alright.

To clarify, I’m not saying your ask is unreasonable - I am very pro WFH and full disability access/equality. But for an employer this is likely their thinking.

It sounds like she often wfh anyway so it's not that big an ask.

OP, GPs can and will sign a fit note for this. I've had one before for wfh for a set period of time while I was unable to commute in due to nausea side effects. My work were very understanding and would rather I was comfortable and safe. Sorry yours are being difficult.

I'd have thought if the medication causes drowsiness, why not take it in the evening when you're at home and finished work? I had to do that when I was on anti depressants.

Agree this approach is normal. OH companies are short staffed across the country so things take longer. Your employers just want a quicker solution. You can refuse, of course. But so can they and they likely will if you do as they obvs feel they need this info before they can agree this Adjustment. If you want to get this sorted and WFH for this period I’d agree to them contacting your GP. Ask to see the questions first.

But surely it depends on what sort of questions you’re asking?
How can you be sure that someone in HR with no relevant medical training will understand what the GP is saying?
Or are you relying fully in the Gp to tell you things in an understandable way for you, knowing that you might well then missed some stuff? Aka the GP will have highlighted one set of effects agd you’ll assume another set won’t happen because you haven’t asked or you haven’t been told iyswim

Also where do you put boundaries? As in the OP has one specific issue with one medication. What’s the risk GP will highlight other issues you weren’t aware about (and dint need to)?

1- some medications need to be taken several times a day
2- taking medication in the evening doesn’t mean you won’t feel drowsy in the am.

I imagine that now an increasing number of companies are enforcing working from the office they are dealing with loads of people looking for ways of continuing to work from home. It's nothing personal, OP, they're treating your request in the standard way — checking it out properly to ensure no one's pulling a fast one. Your unwillingness to cooperate does make you look as if you've got something to hide.

They sound ridiculous! I’d be applying for jobs if this is the way they treat long standing trusted members of staff!

For now, can you suggest that they send their specific questions to you and you can ask your GP to address them in the note? I expect they are trying to scare you into agreeing to come in.

Maybe they want to understand if you should be working at all. They are prob trying to follow the exact process but it will take too long. Maybe trying to see if it’s the right thing what u are requesting.

How far is work in a taxi?

It's funny how many MNers lose their reason if the secretary asks the purpose of the appointment, or the GP calls their name for their appointment, or someone looks sideways at them, because privacy or GDPR or call the non emergency number, but once the possibility of working from home for a few weeks comes into it, OP should give free rein to HR.

Bear in mind that your work don’t have to accept the suggestions in a fit note. Your GP can say that you’re fine to work from home but if they decide they don’t want to facilitate that, they can put you on sick leave instead.

Where has it been said they think it's a strange request?

It’s pretty common to contact GP but more so in the case of long term sick leave.

Personally, I would just consent. The GP will simply confirm you are on the meds and it makes you drowsy. They won’t discuss other medical history. Make sure the consent is explicitly limited to this condition / medication.