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Original poster

Stress leave from work

50 replies

Fluffyduster12 · 14/09/2017 05:52

I am a teacher who has been on stress leave since June following a car accident. My headteacher and other members of SLT were targeted bullying certain members of staff. She said very hurtful personal unprofessional things to me during my recovery from the accident. There were a lot of resignations as a result. I was advised by the union to take a grievance out against the school and currently awaiting results. I am now in the process of finding a way out of my contract. Unfortunately my partner who is also a work colleague is now the latest targeted person and is now about to take stress leave too. I want to be supportive but on the other hand am I being unreasonable to want to be home alone during the day. I am not emotionally strong enough to support my own feelings at the moment. I had a stressful summer with DS almost going off the rails, and thankfully he has gone to uni in Glasgow and the latest phone calls from him have been positive and he seems to have found his manners again. It was music to my ears when he told me yesterday that he was off to do some Scottish dancing caelidh ! Going back to my current situation does anyone think my partner going on stress leave too will hinder my chance of getting a reasonable reference and leaving my contract. My union rep is brilliant at her job and is trying her best, but I'm still really stressed as I cannot afford to go into half pay if they don't sort it out in time.
Help ! Any advice would be great !

OP posts:

Mclaughlan2017 · 15/09/2017 15:11

I am genuinely stressed especially with my work, one of my jobs is non stop from u get in till u finish, the people I work with have been there for years I've only been there a year when things go wrong in there I feel like I get the blame coz I'm new person, and I no they are talking about me when I make a mistake, then there's my second job were my supervisor is a total nasty person, I could go on an on sorry for the rant people

Mclaughlan2017 · 15/09/2017 15:14

Appuskidu I strongly suspect your nothing but a troll that hides behind a computer screen trying to make people feel bad, u won't get me to feel bad.....jog on

Mclaughlan2017 · 15/09/2017 15:18

TBH I don't think there's nothing they can do tho once I have a sick line

HuckfromScandal · 15/09/2017 15:51

You can be dismissed for gong on holiday whilst off sick
You may not be - but if you were - it would not be deemed to be unreasonable
And you would have no come back on the employer (especially as you have less than 2 years employment)
Tread carefully

HuckfromScandal · 15/09/2017 15:53

And if it comes to light that you got signed off to go on holiday - it would be gross misconduct - breach of trust and you would definitely lose your job.

Mclaughlan2017 · 15/09/2017 16:00

Well that's the risk I'm willing to take, I can always get another job, I'm going away to recuperate

Shakey15000 · 15/09/2017 16:56

I can understand a GP suggesting time away would be beneficial for someone off long term with depression/stress. But I think it's a vey big risk to ask to be signed off then go to the states for two weeks. Are you hoping he signs you off for longer? What will you do if you're challenged about it at work? Are both your jobs in schools? Are you planning on telling either job that you'll be abroad? If you don't tell them how will you handle them possibly ringing you?

What I'm saying is, you may well be in need of recuperation after a couple of weeks into the new term and be excited about the holiday etc BUT don't let that override the consequences of what may happen when you return. Including possible disciplinary action etc. And if you do lose your job, then you'll have the reference problem also.

Appuskidu · 15/09/2017 16:59

Appuskidu I strongly suspect your nothing but a troll that hides behind a computer screen trying to make people feel bad, u won't get me to feel bad.....jog on

No, sorry to disappoint. I'm just a teacher who knows someone who was sacked whilst on sick leave!

lougle · 16/09/2017 10:11

You are not listening, Mclaughlan2017. You can dress it up in any way you want to, but you came to this thread saying that your MIL booked you a holiday to Florida and you work in a school so can't get the time off. Your solution is to get signed off so you can go. That will be Gross Misconduct. Without a doubt. When you next apply for a job, you will have to declare that you were dismissed for Gross misconduct. Or, your reference will state that you were dismissed for Gross misconduct. Why would you do that to yourself?

flowery · 16/09/2017 10:30

"I'm booked to go on holiday in 2 weeks to Florida, the problem is I work in schools so won't get time off as it during term time, I'm so stressed and feeling really anxious and depressed about going away, when I should. E so excited my only option is to get signed off work, never done this before how does it work? Either that or I don't think I can go."

Seriously?! You've booked a holiday you know you won't be allowed to take, you're now stressed about it rather than excited, so are planning to get signed off to enable you to go?!

Words fail me.

lougle · 16/09/2017 10:47

"my only option is to get signed off work, never done this before how does it work?"

I've just realised that we never answered your question, how rude. It will involve you lying to your GP. You see, you won't be able to tell them why you are stressed, anxious and depressed, because no GP would risk their registration with the GMC to sign someone off so they can go on a holiday in term time. So you'll have to make up other reasons. Somehow, I'm getting the feeling you'll be fine with that

abacuss · 16/09/2017 10:54

I have to admit, this sort of thing is exactly why I fought hard against getting signed off; I didn't want people to think I just wanted a vacation.

(I was actually having a complete breakdown which led to me finding out I had Aspergers, and have since been disciplined for not taking enough time off, but that's another tedious story.)

Tierney1985 · 18/09/2017 15:22

Well how does it work if your off on long term sick leave can you still go on holiday?

Tierney1985 · 18/09/2017 15:26

Flowery why are you giving this person a hard time? If u read thread properly and stop being judge mental they were looking for advice not nasty comments how do you not know this person could have a history of depression, if that's what they want to do leave them alone not one person has told this person to have a great holiday words fail me!!!!

Tierney1985 · 18/09/2017 15:29

I'll wait for the backlash....mclaughlan2017 hope you have a great holiday don't worry about this minority I'm sure they haven't done a thing wrong in there employment history!!!

Shakey15000 · 18/09/2017 15:38

Well how does it work if your off on long term sick leave can you still go on holiday?

Well, if someone has been signed off already (not like Mclaughlan's case) by a GP for stress/depression/et al then a GP may suggest that a holiday may be good for their recovery. Usually an employee would discuss this with their employer during arranged contact during sick leave. It doesn't appear this to be the case with Mclaughlan. It's clearly coming across like the holiday had already been booked, it's during a time when no leave is permitted therefore she/he is planning to go to the doctor and request that she be signed off in order to be able to go on the holiday. She/he is working at present (i.e not deemed unfit for work). I doubt there's an employer in the land that wouldn't take some kind of action if that is the plan.

However, being as she/he is confident they can "just get another job" (even with potential gross misconduct dismissal) I can't see why they just haven't resigned and gone on the holiday in good faith and with a clear conscience.

flowery · 18/09/2017 15:44

"Flowery why are you giving this person a hard time? If u read thread properly and stop being judge mental they were looking for advice not nasty comments"

I gave an opinion, not nasty comments. My opinion wasn't positive for the reasons I mentioned. Please clarify what aspect of my post gives you the impression I haven't read it properly.

Tierney1985 · 18/09/2017 15:55

Flowery how do u not know this person could suffer long term depression and there family member booked it to help them out remember every situation isn't so black n white tbh I would do the same if someone payed for me to go to Florida tbh there's loads of people that do the same thing!!

Appuskidu · 18/09/2017 15:59

I don't think many people will be saying, 'have a great holiday' when that holiday entails someone taking fraudulent sick leave from their job.

Tierney1985 · 18/09/2017 16:00

Shakey mayb they have went about it wrong way, Butvwe don't no what this person has went thru to feel this way? If they do get that line good on them, and they don't have to answer any phone calls, I'm not in contact with my employer as I'm not up for speaking to them, I'll b in touch when my line runs out!

flowery · 18/09/2017 16:00

"Flowery how do u not know this person could suffer long term depression and there family member booked it to help them out remember every situation isn't so black n white tbh I would do the same if someone payed for me to go to Florida tbh there's loads of people that do the same thing!!"

I have no idea whether they suffer long term depression or not. I am unclear why that is relevant? If that poster is not fit to work her doctor will no doubt sign her off. That is not what she is saying. She is saying she is deliberately planning a holiday at a time she knows won't be authorised and is hoping to get signed off sick in order to go.

Sometimes people are signed off long term sick and want to know whether going on holiday during that time would be acceptable. But planning a holiday during sickness and planning sickness for the purposes of going on holiday are very different things.

My family wouldn't book me a holiday at a time I couldn't go, they'd ask me first.

Tierney1985 · 18/09/2017 16:02

Appuskidu wind ur neck in! Who are u the employer police wouldn't like to have you as a friend, have u never told a wee lie? Or are u to perfect for that

Shakey15000 · 18/09/2017 16:31

Tierney- It doesn't matter either way as Mclaughlan (by her last post) seems to be going no matter what. Assuming the GP signs her off. Or, as mentioned, she does the decent thing and resigns without notice (though obviously would lose pay) Hopefully the employer will be able to fill the post relatively quickly. Don't imagine the reference would be too favourable though.

Incidentally, what part of the world are you in? I ask as you both use the term "line" where I'm used to term "sick note/medical certificate"?

Appuskidu · 18/09/2017 16:45

I think Tierney and Mclaughlan are one and the same.

abacuss · 18/09/2017 17:42

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