Contact when off sick.

[Namechangenumber2569]

I am off work with depression. I know that employers have a right to contact you when off sick but I am feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. Recently I have had emails demanding I make contact that day. I am not continually checking work emails and so this has caused me stress. Partly because I feel that the expectation is that even though I’m off sick I should be constantly checking my work email. I have had phone calls this week and feel under pressure to give a date when I will return to work. A return date now seems to have been assumed and I don’t know if I’ll be ready. Further contact this week has been ‘threatened’. I know that they want to make plans for next term but I feel worse today than I have for weeks. No sleep last night and very tearful today.

Poor you . You are correct in that they should not be contacting you all the time. They need to know when you are likely to be back so they can plan around your absence. However, at the moment it sounds like you are not ready to go back.

I hope you are in a union. I would contact the local office and ask their advice (not your school rep). Make sure that you keep on sending in sick notes; I'd probably scan/photograph them and attach to an email with a read receipt thing too, but then again, I am ancient and bolshy.

Sometimes, schools suggest going to see an Occupational Therapist. Whilst it sounds scary, it is so that you can be helped back into school. OPs are normally really helpful.

It's a horrible illness and more so at this time of year. Take the time you need and prioritise your health.

Setting a return date is nothing to do with the school. They can assume all they like. You and your GP will decide when you're ready to return. I know it's tricky for them, but tough. Put your health first. As the PP said, keep sending in sick notes and stop checking school email. Sending you

Thank you. I really appreciate your advice. After actually feeling that I was making some progress I am just so stressed today. I just wanted to try and enjoy a simple Christmas and now I am worrying myself sick again.

There are procedures that the school and you need to follow under the sickness procedures. Depending on how long you’ve been off, you may trigger the sickness code at some point. There will then need to be a meeting with the school so that you can update them, and they can see how they can support you. They may refer you to occupational health who are there to offer support to both you and the school. They may suggest adjustments or maybe a phased return.

Either way, you do need to maintain some level of contact with the school, even if it’s just to send in sick notes. They should also check in on you to see how you are, but not make any demands.

Hope you feel better soon.

I am sending in my sick notes and I have been sending updates regarding my treatment. I’m not sure what else I can do. I have found the recent contact quite intrusive and stressful. I feel as if I’m being told that I need to be better by a set date even though I have a sick note past the date.

Definitely stop checking your email. Tell them that any contact needs to be to either a personal email address or phonecall.

I understand they want some idea of a return date. We have a member of staff who gets concurrent 3-4 week sick notes and it is incredibly hard to plan for. They've been off most of this term but we haven't been able to make any long term timetable changes because there is always a chance they'll be back. However no one has been in contact with them beyond a phonecall towards the end date of every sick note.

Would your GP sign you off for an extended period? That way you could say "don't contact me until after feb half term" for example. You really don't sound ready to go back so setting deadlines or return dates is a bad idea. However being able to say "I'm not in until Feb" is really helpful for school. They are definitely wrong to be setting dates before your sick note is up.

Take care of yourself. Your health comes first.

I agree with the OP. It is hard for the school to plan. However, they shouldn’t be demanding a return date from you. Have you had your first sickness meeting? That is a time to discuss how you’re getting on and a referral to occupational health maybe a help to you.

Can you disable your email connection with the school, so you don't get the emails pinging in? Could you say to them, I will check every Friday?

I've never had open email connection with my school, always a separate log-in. And that was when the school gave me the laptop!
I don't use my phone for school, either.

Definitely get in touch with your union if you're in one, and as said upthread, region, not school.

Thanks everyone. I appreciate that the school needs to plan ahead and I can see that the short sick notes are probably unhelpful in this respect. I don’t have email alerts set up I have to login to read my emails. This is why I found the expectation that I should be continually checking them and responding at a moments notice so stressful. It is not even term time! I will contact my union after Christmas for some advice - assuming there is anyone there! I felt absolutely terrible this morning and this led to some very dark thoughts however, I have got out for a walk and things don’t seem quite as bad now.

I'm glad you were able to get out for a while and that you felt a little better for it. Could you ask your GP for a longer sick note next time?

Good idea. I will do that when I next speak to GP.

Hi OP

I hope your Christmas gave you some respite. I just wanted to check in with you and see how you are getting on.

Like you, I have to log on to see emails (I work in 2 schools) and the Head of one of them forbade staff to direct their school emails onto their phones (he's a good guy, just has crap taste in football teams). I have logged on once since breaking up and that was to email my other Head and a few colleagues about something my DD had achieved - she is a former student of the school. He sent me a lovely reply by return saying how nice it was to hear some good news for a change.

Focus on your recovery. Every bad day is one more behind you. Keep walking and keep talking here

@Malbecfan I cannot tell you how much it means to me that you have taken the time to check in with me. Thank you.

I have had some very dark moments but some laughs as well! I have been started on some new medication and I am gradually increasing the dose. It may not be the solution but it may bring some respite.

Thank you again for your kindness. It has made all the difference to me today.

Hi OP, I haven't been in your exact situation but when I was on mat leave I had a similar issue and told my head and phase leader (Primary) that I would not be checking work emails and if anyone needed to contact me to call my mobile. Obviously a slightly different situation but maybe you could just say you have a WiFi issue and won't be checking your emails (although you don't even need to give a reason). It may make them contact you less if it has to be a phone call. Also I feel it would take the pressure off you to just be outright and say you are not ready to come back and they can then plan for your absence. I recently had a colleague off and we would not know from one week to the next if she'd be there and there's obviously a planning and staffing issue there.

You need time to heal, especially in the current situation school is a very tough place.

Be kind to yourself and do not feel pressured into things you're not ready for. Be honest with them. They should not have put you in that situation though.

Thank you. I was contacted 6 times over the holiday. A mixture of emails, messages and phone calls. A member of the SLT has now declared me ‘well’ in her opinion as a result of this contact. Words fail me. Causing me such unnecessary stress.

Good job that member of SLT isn't GP then! Has she actually said that to you? When is your sick note till? If you get a further sick note yoy should say you will not be answering emails.

I’ve been hospitalised twice in the last few months and my work still expect a daily call to update(even when drs said I would be in hospital for at least a week) and all emails must be responded to within 24hours...this is with a sick note from consultant at hospital....

@BuffyFanForever I’m so sorry to hear that. It sounds dreadful. I hope you feel better soon. When did schools become so uncaring!