Under huge pressure to be at work wi post op infection

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Hi,

I had emergency abdo surgery at the end of feb and ended up off work for a month.
Whilst I was off I had lots f phone calls from work and my direct manager was quite pushy about work being done from home. I felt huge pressure to go back and when I did I found that my boss had been less than sympathetic.

I ended up at the doctors again yesterday after being I'll over the weekend. I've got a nasty post op infection, I've been given tramadol for the pain and strong antibiotics.
When I called my boss yesterday to let him know I was going to the doctors his words were" I hope this is genuine, it doesn't look good after a bank holiday".
I let him know afterwards what the outcome was and his only comment was, " fine, I expect to see you in the morning, you can't have any more time off"

I work in sales. Most of my salary is commission based, I get that I need to be there but I am really not well, I've been crying this morning about going in, I can't drive at the moment, I have to get two buses in and then sit upright all day whilst on the phone to customers. I can't take my painkillers and work as they're too strong to stay with it. I'm in so much pain.

The company is huge, he is saying they aren't going to pay me for the month I've already been off. I think I need to speak to hr really t what do I say without looking/ sounding like a malingerer?
I don't want my career blighted by this and that is what he is implying.

A genuine illness is that.
Call hr when you can and ask for their advice.
Ignore your bosses comments/opinions!! And keep the contact with your boss to a minimum.
Your health is the only thing that matters.
Keep doc visits going as proof.
Good luck

You work in sales? The reason he is being like this is because his sales and targets (which probably also include sickness) are being effected. He is a bad manager. He has probably created this situation. He probably has a high staff turnover too.

What is tge companies absence policy? How long have you been there? The fact is your gp has signed you off and with what you have explained you do need to be off. Submit your note with a letter, copied to he, stating that following your convo where he told you to return to work tgat under tge companies absence procedure you are submitting your note and will contact him near tge end of it to advise when you are returning.

Sorry to hear this. Can you get a Drs note? You should at least get SSP.

I'd email him to say. I am ill. I am on tramadol. Please look it up. I am incapable of making a cup of tea for myself, let alone getting into work. I am suffering financially from not earning commission and am desperate to get back to work, but I cannot at the moment. Please do not keep trying to pressurise me to come back when I am still ill. As soon as I feel well enough to return you will be the first to know and I will be asking my GP to sign me fit enough to return.

Then, if he carries on, fwd email to HR saying you have received calls X, Y and Z date and the stress of the low level bullying is only adding to your current health worries at the moment and can they please deal with it.

Yes I quite agree. You're not well enough to work if you need to take strong painkillers but can't work while on them.

You can sign yourself off for the first 7 days - you may choose to get a doctor's note but you'd have to pay. Actually I'd tell him you're not coming in as per your company absence process then email him saying you would prefer to be at work but that you are genuinely sick. I would make a point of saying you are finding his comments of X, Y and Z very upsetting and that if he requires a doctor's note as evidence because your word is not good enough then you will get one if the company pays. I'd also cc HR in on the email.

However, I am inclined to be rather stroppy in the face of such stupidity and you may prefer (and indeed I would advise) you word your email in a slightly less confrontational way. Take out the bit about your word not being good enough and make the offer as if you're being helpful and offering to do him a favour... that he has to pay for.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Thank you everyone. He has now sent me an email telling me he has organised a lift to work tomorrow for me......

I think my plan is to go in and go straight down to HR to talk it out with them before coming home. And going to bed.... Emails don't seem to be getting through to him so I need some back up now.

I'll definitely be using some of your phrases tomorrow in my chat Kate, thank you

Good luck tomorrow - poor you . I know what infection and trAmadol do so your boss is being an arse (and a bully).

what a cxxt he is
traeck everything, send that email and stand up to him, he is a bully and you are genuinely ill

HR, and prep what you say first