getting signed off sick, help please!

[suzym1984]

Evening ladies!

I am currently 25 weeks pregnant and really struggling with work. I am a teacher at a very challenging school (lots of ADHD and autism in my class) and I am finding the long days very tiring. I never get breaks and hardly ever eat any lunch, so I am on my knees at the moment. Also, my 'morning' sickness never really went away, and I have now been told that for health and safety I am not allowed to eat in the classroom (so no food for me all day then!)

I would like to go and see the dr to get signed off for a week or so, just to get some rest and hopefully feel more human. Also feel like the stress is making my MS worse.

But.....what do I say?? If i ask for a sick note will he think I am a big skiver? What if he just says it will get better with time, etc? Think I might crack if I keep going the way I am!

Thanks for reading

For a start, your work need to be more accomodating. They cannot tell a pregnant woman she can't eat! Either they need to make sure you get more breaks to eat regularly (e.g. every 2-3 hours max) or they need to allow food in the classroom.

Just explain to your GP what you've put here. I think some time to give you a break is definitely warranted.

And if you get signed off because your work are running you into the ground, they may be more prepared to do what they legally have to do to make your work a safe place while pregnant (stress reduction and allowing food do count!). After all, if it's a choice of providing you with break cover or covering sick leave, the first is a lot less time/money for them.

Your employer has a legal obligation to give you a risk assessment and as japhrimel said, they can't stop a pregnant woman eating.
I think GP would be sympathetic, also Obs would probably be very happy to write supporting letter

Thanks for the reply!

The problem is I have spoken to work about this, and they say that there is nothing they can do, and that it is up to me to manage my workload more efficiently . I just dont know whether to bother going to the GP or if it will be a waste of time. I seriously dont think I can continue this way tho!

Thanks witch6, 25 weeks and still no risk assessment

Try not to feel guilty about being ill and needing time off (easier said than done, I know).

I was signed off with hyperemesis for basically my entire pregnancy but I wasn't actually vomitting it was (just) overwhelming nausea. Obv I couldn't prove There was anything wrong and at first my bosses seemed sceptical. Maybe because I felt guilty and it showed. If you go to your GP they will sign you off and maybe for longer than a few days. Don't argue. Baby is more important than any job, as are you.

Good luck and congrats Be kind to yourself.

Thanks doghnutty!

I have never been signed off before and just wasnt sure how it works! will he offer or do i need to ask? dont want to look stupid .

I know what u mean about overwhelming nausea, sometimes I can barely speak! And I oftem have to go sprinting across the school field as one of the children in my class has the habit of running away! I just cannot cope!

Go to your doctor and say being at work is making you ill - give a list of things nausea, exhaustion, mental stress.
Say "I would like to be signed off for a week, (or two) I think that's what I need. I am at breaking point and need the rest."

Speak to your union reps about your working conditions, don't be fobbed off with 'manage your workload better' that's bullshit.

In my experience GP's will sign you off for as long as you ask for (if you ask) and when I was pregnant I said I needed a week and he signed me of for 3 weeks and said if I felt better before then to go back to be 'signed on' again. Guess this means your not using up appointments just to get a sick line.

God, I sound like a proper skiver

Your employer has to, as Witch6 said, do a risk assessment and do anything they can to minimise risks. Mention the new Equality Act to them that came into force on 1st October - they cannot discriminate against a pregnant woman. Can't understand why you eating in the classroom is a health and safety issue. I've had a risk assessment, am 26 weeks, and I'm the boss!! I asked a member of my team to do the RA and to do the reviews every 2 weeks - he is taking it very seriously, and all the rest of my staff are fully behind him and helping me in making the necessary adaptations that I need (luckily my board of trustees is very supportive - think they're quite excited at the thought of the first charity baby)

Thanks everyone! discobeaver I might say just that word for word! I just hate to think that the dr might see me as a skiver!

Thank you for the advice about risk assessments, I also feel like managing my workload better is also bullshit! and yard duties so I get no breaks cant be good for me! I cant even leave the class to go to the toilet when i need to. Will get an appt next week and see what he says. Fingers crossed for me. If he says that I will have to manage I will burst into tears!

dancingcat your employers sound lovely and very supportive! They said it was health and safety to eat in classroom in case any chn have allergies etc (they dont) or in case of bug infestation

oh Suzy, they're being ridiculous. Good employers deserve loyalty, ridiculous ones don't Get yourself signed off and they have to put up with it. It makes me so angry, we're a small charity but I do what I can to make sure my team are supported, looked after and that we meet our legal obligations - its not difficult and makes for a happy workplace. Am sure your class will miss you though, you sound lovely, if you worked for me I'd look after you. Good luck, don't worry, concentrate on yourself and your growing bump xx

Um, your work are being ridiculous. For a start, they could take you off yard duty so you have time to rest and eat. And then they could provide a classroom assistant so you can get loo breaks.

And the H&S line is bollocks nonsense IMO. Even if it is their policy, then that means that they need to provide you with the support so that you can leave the classroom to eat.

You poor thing, your employers sound like complete cretins. I work for a local authority too (not as a teacher, though) and here if someone gets signed off sick everyone just shrugs and accepts it. I wouldn't worry about what your doctor will think, either - he or she will see hundreds of people asking for a sick note every week and it will be totally normal to them.

Thanks for all the lovely replies! I just feel guilty getting signed off, but this baby must come first.

Bear in mind (I think this is correct....) that if you take 2 weeks or more off sick, your employer can consider your maternity leave started. It sounds ridiculous, but I was warned about this by CAB.

They can't make your maternity leave start this early unless you give birth. And failure to give the risk assessment is likely to be se discrimination and if they don't do it especially given the problems you are having if you wanted to take them on you would be likely to be able to make a claim through an employment tribunal for injury to feelings..... So being signed off is better for them than some of the alternatives

hi suzy,

I think I've read one of your previous posts about your situation.

I'm a cooking teacher and have struggled a great deal since getting pg - I was signed off at 4 weeks as already getting nausea and struggling with cooking smells which was making teaching really hard. Lukcily I had the summer hols in the middle and tried going back to work when I was 18 weeks pg but on a reduced timetable (you can get a doctors note saying you can only work on altered duties or reduced hours) and made it clear to them I still couldn't really cook lots of foods and may come over 'perculiar' in class (I had terrible debilitating nausea in the first trimester that made me pretty much bed ridden and it hasn't yet completely gone and if I do much it comes straight back along with feels faint/dizzy etc). They have been very supportive and given me a supply teacher to work with me so if I'm having a bad day/feel ill I can give up mid lesson if needed. I've been trying really hard over the past few weeks to get back to work but it's all proving too much and it's just making me worse, so, on advice of my mw I went back to my GP and have just been signed off again, probably if I'm realistic for the rest of the pg. I feel guilty and bad, as I love my job, but I also now accept I just can't do my job as I am and feel much less stressed and better in myself without having to worry about it (and I have other issues I won't go into). When I first went to the GP, back when I was 4 weeks, I didn't even think it would be an option to be signed off, I had no idea what I was going to do. It was her that told me I was not to go to work and signed me off. I'm glad she took the decision for me as I would have just struggled and made myself really ill.

One thing to bear in mind which I wasn't aware of. If you're signed off sick, you're entitled to any company sick policy pay and SSP. If you are signed back to work with a 'fit for work' note (I had one of these saying I could only work reduced hours) limiting your usual work, legally you are only entitled to be paid when you are at work, and you are entitled to no sick pay when you're not in work - so effectively you only get paid when you're in work. I assumed that you'd get sick pay when not working and normal pay when working. It's all a tricky area and even my union advised me to get signed off sick (I'd get more money not going into work at all than struggling in for a few hours a week). It's not all about the money for me, as I would have been prepared to only be paid for the time I was in school (as I WANT to do my job so much), it got to the point where I've now admitted defeat. Just thought this might help you in your thinking.

Your employers are not only insensitive and inconsiderate, they're also acting illegally. You are entitled to breaks. As someone mentioned, they need to do a health and safety risk assessment and the things you mention would fall into this category. For example I bet it would raise that covering yard breaks is no longer viable for you and that they need to be removed from your workload.

It sounds like whoever is making these decisions is unfairly biased against people who are pregnant. Get HR and the union involved, stand up for yourself and let them know this is wrong.

I'm currently signed off for two weeks relating to work stress and pregnancy, and if it's any help, I didn't feel guilty for one second. I was going into work, trying to manage, but was put into this position by poor management choices. MY HR department are being really supportive thankfully, and have told me to take as much time as I need while we try to sort things out.

As for GPs, they are all different. Some are quite reluctant to sign people off - I don't know why, it's just different attitudes towards work related stress I guess. Years ago when I needed time off, I made the mistake of seeing the first GP offered to me at the drop in. He said "your situation is intolerable, but you are fit for work." He was quite cruel, let me sit there sobbing and a wreck and didn't say anything, and was just waiting for me to leave. It was a humiliating experience. I went back the next day to see my usual (kind!) doctor and he signed me off for a month. I could tell he was very angry at the other GP.

So - if you have a rotating group of GPs at your surgery, insist on seeing the one who you think will be most empathetic.

"if you take 2 weeks or more off sick, your employer can consider your maternity leave started"

Fortunately that's not true. If you are signed off sick with pg-related illness from 36 weeks pregnant, they can start your mat leave early. Or obviously if you give birth before that as hilda says.

Get signed off by your doctor as a first step, and I would also suggest contacting whatever HR you have - I don't know how that works in schools, perhaps it's central local authority, no idea - for guidance on your pregnancy at work issues, and say you are struggling to get a H&S assessment and feel you urgently need one.

Wow! Thank you for all of the supportive messgaes! You are all so kind

Just thought I would give you all and update. I spoke to the head teacher today about the fact that I need to be able to take breaks to eat/ drink and use the loo. And he said that I must leave my marking or whatever else and take a break, but then take the marking home to do at night Impossible when I am in bed early or with my head down a toilet!

I was also told that due to budgets it was not possible to have a TA in my lessons to relieve me if I feel sick/ need the loo.

He will, however, consider taking me off the break duty rota. I will find out after half term if this is possible.

To be honest, I will se how I feel after half term and then make an appt to see the doctor. I am just so run down and feeling sick constantly, I know Im not doing my class justice!

Thanks again for the advice! I will keep u updated!

I'd post something in MN employment section too...lots of lovelies on there who are v experienced HR practioners & who are v up to date with mat leave law etc etc

they're not exactly trying to help you much are they! can't believe they just expect you to keep going only now take all your marking home. Very generous to 'consider' taking you off your duty (said in sarcastic way!). Urgh, they're really not making much of an effort to try and get you to stay on to work are they - surely they realise if they don't help you out now you'll just end out being too ill to work and they'll have to pay for someone else.

{waving to angels from Feb baby thread}

I know, I feel like they are being very unreasonable with the workload expectations, I already work 9hr days, and I have stuff to do at home after that. I feel like they expect too much.

Indaba Thanks I will try posting on the other thread.

So, If I explain this to the doc do you think they will be sympathetic? Or will I seem like a skiver just tryin to get off work?