Can any hr person help with advice needed? Re return to work following being signed off with work stress.

[Collardove]

I have been signed off sick for the past month with work stress/acute reaction to stress.

I think I am ready to return later this week, I am still under the care of my GP, and am seeing them tomorrow. Do I have any right to ask if I can perhaps just do two instead of 4 shifts for the first couple of weeks?

I am only part time and work less then 18 hours per week.

I was signed off with the same a few months back. Unfortunately I had a bad setback again in May.

When I returned last time after 6 weeks off I went straight into a full return back. I have to admit I struggled and felt quite overwhelmed.

It is certainly something to talk to your work about. Ask your GP to suggest a phased return on your fit note, ideally stating 2 shifts per week for 2 weeks. Do you think this will be practical from your employer's point of view? I would also expect your hr team or manager to talk to you about the causes of your stress and the support they can give you to help you return to work successfully. This doesn't necessarily mean completely removing the triggers of your stress if they are intrinsic parts of your role, but perhaps some short term adjustments can be made.

If your GP thinks a phased return is appropriate he or she will specify on the fit note. Your employer don't have to agree it though.

I would say though, as you don't work many hours in the first place, and your condition isn't a physical one if that makes sense, it's not a case of not physically being able to cope with a full week is it?

If it's work-related stress, and its only short hours anyway, are you sure you're ready to return at all?

What has actually been done in terms of addressing the causes of your stress?

Speccymummy - Thanks I will talk to my GP about this, and can only hope that returning back to just 2 shifts to start with will be acceptable to my manager? Although as Flowery has said they don't have to agree it :(

Flowery - My days are going to be up and down for the time being still according to my GP and counsellor. I am still on anti depressants.

My work stress was brought on over a 2 year bullying problem by an older colleague at work. Which culminated in her masking false accusations against me last year which were not upheld.

This dragged on for 4 months and I ended up masking a counter complaint that my colleague was making vexatious allegations against me.

However it proved too much for me earlier this year and I had a breakdown and was signed off with work stress.

I returned back successfully for 3 months, but a few issues at work triggered a blip and I was signed off again. Since then it has been suggested I am suffering from a condition similar to PTSD, as it was very traumatic for me.

In terms of addressing my stress I was put on different shifts to that colleague. Which made the difference, although I was told this cannot be forever.

The thing is despite all that has happened I love my small job, even though part time I achieve the highest targets in my team of full and part time staff. Although not 100% myself yet I worry if I don't go back in with never will...