Work can be so unfair....

[Fairycake0310]

I have worked in my firm for over 13 years and have seen some bad treatment of people but I now feel I'm one of them....

I'm an older (41) first time mum and suffered from severe morning sickness in the first few months so was signed off. Came back and treat like I was invisible. I am now 25+4 and a few weeks ago started with SPD. Signed off sick due to that and exhaustion (I am also looking after my OH as he has had a major ankle op) and since being back I feel totally sidelined.

I got called to HR on Friday and told that if I didn't get copies of my sick notes to them by this week (one got "lost" in the post) I would have money docked from my wages as they couldn't say it was pregnancy related - even though the other note after that stated it was! They even wanted a note for the self cert period. My doctor is very supportive and says stuff them on that unless they want to pay for a private note for me.

They have also decided to send me to Occ Health just so they know I have SPD and if they can help sort it out.

Sorry for the rant but I am really struggling with it all the at minute and combined with lack of sleep I feel like I can't cope with everything :-(

I went through this too. I resigned I couldn't deal with them badgering me and threatening me with disciplinary over my pregnancy. Was a total nightmare hope you get sorted x

They are entitled to ask for the fit notes. They are required to claim SSP. It is also a statutory requirement for the employee to provide one. Your GP is not obliged to write a fit note fir a period of absence os less than eight days on the NHS bit your Employer is entitled to ask for it. Just ask if your Employer will reimburse the doctor's fee. Perfectly reasonable to refer you to OHP to ensure you are fully supported and reasonable adjustments are in place for a pg and vulnerable employee.

Your GP sounds ver unprofessional.

I read that you have already seen bad treatment of others and this maybe affecting your judgement?

You do sound like you are having an awful time and I can only sympathise with you on the sickness. Up until 16 weeks, I didn't think I could cope!

I think it is a very good and pro-active thing that they have sent you to Occ Health though, like you say, maybe they can help sort it out? Sounds great to me.

I agree, the GP shouldn't be so dismissive and should treat it a bit more professionally.

Lack of sleep always makes everything else worse, so whenever you are not at work, do everything you can to rest and sleep. Don't worry about the housework etc, just take it easy as much as you can. There is an end to all of this.

Take up the Occ Health offer and take it from there. If you still feel that there is sense of prejudice or unfair treatment, speak to somebody at work in HR or is independent to the situation. and always remember that you can request to take a companion/witness into meetings with you as an observer. This should deter any unfair treatment or misunderstandings.

Hope this situation gets better for you and look forward to your maternity leave

I would smile at them and say of course you will get a GP appointment to get notes you have already sent that they seem to have lost. However you will do that in work time and on full pay and you will need work to pay for the private notes. But if they happy to do that of course you will! Then get an appointment at the most annoying time, be very late back as of course the GP never sees people on time and swan back in with the said notes ( after all you have nothing to hide!!) and ask for immediate payment of notes as you had to pay GP straight away!
Oh and ask for a copy of their company policy that says they deduce/withhold pay for lack of notes or self certified notes only.

And of course you will happily go to HR - with a photocopy of all said notes and will go in work time on full pay. And you will be very happy for work occupational health to find any private physiotherapy they think will help. Perhaps ask for a more supportive chair from them for work to pay for ( that is what they do at my work as our chairs are all rubbish!!!) and you will need to make sure your manager/work have done a proper risk assessment to ensure they made reasonable adjustments!!

Just think of the hours of work this will take up - which you will of course not make up!!!

I'm not sure what's unfair if I'm honest. Why can't you give them the sick notes?

I disagree with Rooibos, I would not do anything to purposefully annoy your employer.
It sound like you work for a larger company that is probably just following their HR policies and procedures. I would suggest you try and do everything by the book, have a back up for everything and try and be cooperative with HR. That way you have a proof should you ever need it.
That's the only way you will have any chance for compensation if they wrong you. You should be able to request a copy of their HR policy to be able to fully understand your rights and obligations.
Good luck, hopefully things will get better for you and you feel better soon.

Sorry I thought you had already handed in your sick notes and they wanted them again as one had got lost?

I work in HR and am pregnant, so am familiar with both sides of this. I have to say, I'm not really sure why you feel your work is treating you unfairly? I'm obviously not familiar with your particular company's policies, but I would imagine that the need for sick notes is quite clear and they say that they're entitled to ask for them even in the self-certification period. If they've asked you to go to occupational health, it should certainly be up to them to pay for that and you should ask them to make the arrangements, too.

I know that HR always makes people feel like they're on the back foot, but don't forget they have procedures they have to follow as well. The requirement for sick notes is a government requirement and they have to be accounted for if they're going to be able to pay you during periods of sickness.

I disagree with rooiboos original post. You've done nothing wrong so provide what they've asked for and carry on doing your job. Purposely being difficult is just going to sour the relationship on both sides.

Completely agree with ero30