How much trouble will I really be in?

[saintpeta]

Am off sick from my employer for stress related reasons to do with bullying/harassment and doctor continues to give me my sick notes so I am covered here. I don't want to go back to work I would really like them to pay me off to leave. Meanwhile I became self-employed - to try and see if i could - am I in very much trouble with the tax people? My dh thinks I am mad and should sort out one thing or another before they come knocking at my door-now I am scared. Does anyone know ? It is my first time being self employed and I have registered as self employed too.

You can be employed and self-employed at the same time I think.

but your employment contract might have a clause re taking other work

As long as you declare your income shouldn't be a problem

Surely you can't be working at all whilst claiming any form of sick pay can you? Think I would ring the tax office anonymously and ask them. If you do your tax return for self-employment and they see proof you were working, ( ie dates of your invoices), whilst receiving sick pay they might not be happy!!!

Helenn thats what my dh thinks too but I'm inclined to think that I am off sick and it is totally unrelated to my self employment work - i will however ring up tax ofice anon

It's been a while since I had to send in a sick-note but from what I remember, if the doctor has signed you off sick from work then he has signed you off for all work and you shouldn't be doing any form of work at all. Check with the Department of Work and Pensions (or whatever they're calling themselves these days) but I'm pretty sure that's still the case.

Good HR people employ others to look out for tube drivers off sick playing squash or appearing on TV shows etc. They film you out and about to prove who is skiving and who is not. So I suppose there are those risks. If you are psychiatrically ill why are you well enough to do the self employed work? Why not try going back on Monday and see if you can cope with it?

When you say you 'became' self empd, what do you mean? I'm with WWB, either you're fit to work and should go back and tackle it because whether they're in the wrong or not, they're not going to tackle it unless you invoke grievance or they do. Or you're not, in which case, that includes self employement imo.

If you do any other work, you need to get the written permission of your employer - this is stipulated in most contracts. Have a look at your contract with your employer and see what it says.

If you are being bullied/harassed, does your employer know about this?

They are unlikely to make you redundant because they won't be able to replace your position.

I think you need to tell the tax office that you are self-employed within 3 months of becoming so, or you are liable to a fine.

I would start by asking your employer whether you can do other work while being off sick. If they say no, you really need to resign.