Early Release From Contract & Sickness

[Dobbysocks]

As the title says really. How to go about asking for early release from contract with a reference if you’re on long term sick?

School union rep involvement or best to call advice line?

So you’re on LT sick leave

and you want to say… let’s end the contract as I don’t see myself returning?

And the prospect of a reference?

How long have you been there?
What are relations like?

I have not been there very long and had an unexpected, serious illness (as illnesses of severity tend to be) which has meant I’ve been unwell longer than at work.

I’ve cooperated and engaged with everything asked whilst unwell but I don’t know them well. Nor them me.

If you are ill, you take the sick pay until you are better and / or your entitlement runs out. Schools can't refuse a reference because you have been ill, or is there more to it? Why do you want to be released early?

Do what is best for you. Just be upfront on applications for new roles and say that the school / role wasn’t the right fit for you and get references from previous employers too..

No there’s no more to it. My fit note has had to be extended and I likely have a long recovery ahead. School have been polite but are applying pressure to return prematurely. I was wondering if it was better to cut my losses and resign and focus on recovery instead of having continual pressure applied.

@Dobbysocks
No definitely take as much as you’re entitled to. You can request that they don’t bother you. Take the maximum sick leave and only resign when you’ve used it.

Will they be able to dismiss me within this time for being unwell? I know legally the answer is no but schools don’t always play by the rules.

No they can’t do that but I would check your contract to see what sick pay you are entitled to. I started a new school and it was absolutely horrendous, as I had continuous employment under the burgundy book from other schools I was entitled to 6 months on full pay and a further 6 months on half pay. Involve the union rep as well but it’s worth pointing out that I was wrongly told by mine that I only entitled to 5 weeks in the first year of employment. I suspected this was incorrect so I called the national advice line.

Yes I am similar. Burgundy book full rights but not been at my current school too long.

I’m just fraught with worry some sort of ill health capability will come up and I’ll lose my job even with this.

Union rep here.

Do not resign. Speak to your union - this is exactly what they are for, to give advice on situations like this.

Thank you. My rep has been great. It’s more school doing things ‘informally’ for my ‘wellbeing’ that feel the opposite of both of those things at the moment when I need time and space to recover.