Off sick and manager wants to have a catchup?

[Applerumbles]

I’ve been off sick from work with MH issues for well over a year.
My line manager has just emailed to ask tor a catchup call to see how I am and what they can do to support me.
I can’t face talking to him (or anyone really) so would it be ok to say that I’m not well enough for a call and that I am still getting medical treatment for my illness?
Im not sure he should be contacting me if I am off sick and providing fitnotes?

Well at some point they need you to shit or get off the pot. Do you genuinely ever see yourself returning when you’ve been off for so long? Why should they have to pay you SSP or keep your job open for so long when someone else is actually turning up and doing it (who they also have to pay)? As someone with severe MH illness, I just don’t understand this entitlement at all. If you can’t even bear speaking to another human who you know, it’s unlikely that whatever ’treatment’ you’re having is working in a way that will get you back at work anytime soon.

I think it’s reasonable with that length of sickness for there to be some contact.

I’m with @MiraculousLadybug - that’s a long time to expect to be off but not be updating regularly and keep your job

I think after a year, I’d be looking to see what the update is. They have a responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to help you back into to work, but if there are none, or you don’t accept them, they don’t have to keep you on.

Of course they need to be able to have a discussion with you at some point, that's not unreasonable

Im so sorry to hear you're unwell.
It totally depends on individual circumstances but in my organisation, its considered part of proper support to have catchup calls, and he would be in trouble for letting it go to a year without doing so, but it really does depends on the circumstances of why you are off and the changes during that time if you were receiving in patient treatment etc then it would have been considered not appropriate etc. Totally depends on whats been going on.

After this long that is completely reasonable. You could have someone with you for suppprt.

I think after a year there are mumblings about whether someone is coming back or not OP. You'll probably have to speak to them at some point. You can't just stay off work indefinitely and expect nothing to he said.

Maybe it's time to be kind to yourself and think whether you want to go back there or not.

I did have impatient treatment at the start of the sick leave but I don’t think they even know about that. It isn’t costing the company anything as sick pay ended after six months but I am getting payments from the company income protection insurance.
Im certainly not well enough to return to work at the moment.

That is an extremely long time to be off on the sick. Of course he needs to know what’s going on.

Of course it's reasonable - you're an employee and they have a duty of care. Have you not had any meetings with them to date? Is there a Occ Health plan in place to support you back to work?

It’s absolutely standard policy to have a welfare check in with someone off sick long term, especially to ascertain when they might be able to work again. If you’ve been off over a year and no sign of return at all, even with adjustments, it might be time for them to move towards a capability dismissal. If you think you would like to return at some point it’s absolutely in your interest to engage

I think you need to have some form of communication with them- just to let them know whether you think you’ll be returning in the next few months or whether you think you’ll ever return.

I work for the NHS and had a colleague who was off for a few years with her physical health and our manager caught up with her every few months.

Over a year and still reckon you can’t return of have a simple call to discuss- just hand your notice in and be done with it.

But surely I don’t need to tell my manager about my medical conditions?
The income protection insurance is supposed to cover up to state retirement age so how can they sack me for being ill?

Why would I hand my notice in when I am seriously ill?

They shouldn't have left it for a year before contacting you, but they are perfectly within their rights to contact you.

The fact that they're doing this now, after doing nothing for a year, suggests that they're looking to manage you out.

Well over a year? You clearly have no intention of engaging with them so you should leave and let someone else take over the role

Do you work for a large company? Can you talk to hr rather than your manager? Or occupational health?

So are you planning on being off sick forever and being paid for it?

They can certainly sack you if you aren't capable of doing the job, which you clearly aren't at present. And it doesn't sound like you're likely to be well enough to return any time soon, so I think it's very likely that they will move in this direction sooner or later.

Who’s paying you the income protection insurance, your own policy or the company’s insurance? Is it enough money for you without claiming benefits on top?

But surely you do. Or HR at least.
You’re being very naive if you think your employer will keep you on the books after a year with no plan for you to get back to work, paid or unpaid.

There becomes a point you are not fit for the role. . They might not be paying you but have to keep your job open so someone else is picking up your work .

Are you planning on staying off until you retire?

I'm getting dejavu a bit here. Are you the poster who went off sick a few months into a new job and has been off for longer than they've been in work?