Home Visit Whilst Off Sick

[6079SmithW]

Hi
I’m hoping someone can advise ..
I have been signed off sick for the next few weeks, but received notice from my employer that they wish to do a home visit. Do I have to agree?
I have already been told that I will have to do a formal sickness meeting when I return to work, so I don’t understand why I have to do this home visit too? I really don’t want them in my house, and I don’t really want to think about work until I feel well enough.

Where I work, a home visit is part of the “keeping in touch” process. As some have said above, the person off sick can ask to meet somewhere other than their home and as long as it’s acceptable to both parties there’s no issue.

IME as a manager, some people prefer the personal touch of meeting up with their manager while others don’t. However there have been instances in the past when employees have kept in touch by mobile and email and it turns out they’ve been abroad or one memorable occasion they were doing some cash in hand work for a mate.

The onus is on both employee and employer to stay in touch in such a way that ticks as many boxes for both parties iyswim.

Obviously there may be cases where people abuse being off sick but I have been employed for over 10yrs by this company and never had a day off sick in that time. People at work know I am not a Mickey taker.

I am now about to undergo surgery for something potentially serious and will not yield to pressure for a home visit, should that occur.

when employees have kept in touch by mobile and email and it turns out they’ve been abroad

A common myth is that an employee signed off as unfit for work needs to lock themselves in a darkened room and only emerge at 8am on the day their Fitnote runs out, ready to get back to work.

If a person chooses to recuperate abroad for a week, and if that gets them back to health, and hence they return to work quicker, then that is an appropriate course of action.

Life is too short to ‘hang’ a person for not ensuring they put themselves through the wringer just to ensure they are seen to be on death’s door. Feeling like two-pence worth of pooh is quite enough to suffer!

Our workplace policy is a home visit after a certain time period or if the manager feels it appropriate. We can be disciplined for not following procedure if we refuse.

I was recently off sick and was told I would be visited at home. No way was I having them in my house. As it happened I went back before it was necessary (coincidence).

I would suggest going in, neutral place or an alternative office etc.

It is a bit sad that a lot of people see any contact from work when they are off sick as hostile and intrusive and little short of snooping to get evidence to get them fired.

However the only people you can really blame for this are modern employers who mostly treat their workforce like a herd of hostile slaves on the point of revolt.

I agree with daisychain my home is my pride but when I am ill standards invariably slip and I would definitely not like to host my colleagues with the house a state!

You are absolutely right, HorseMad.

When I was very unwell, my line manager kept angling to visit me at home. It would have been horribly intrusive; I would never willingly have consented to it.

We arrange a meeting at around four weeks.

It may be in the workplace, or a home visit, or at a neutral location near or between the two, or sometimes a phonecall (face to face is preferred though). But it is meant as a supportive meeting and the location is discussed and agreed.

So someone with a condition which may mean getting to the building may be difficult, we would be happy to visit if they preferred.

If someone was recovering from planned surgery and expected to return in a couple of weeks, it may just be a phonecall to catch up on workplace updates and discuss a phased return and adjustments.

In the 90s and 00s though most workplaces seemed to regard a home visit as generally the best option for the person off rather than dragging them in, and this may still persist

I simply wouldn't answer the door

An employer who was that caring would understand that they shouldn't expect to be welcome in an employees home.

The last thing you want when you are sick is someone coming over so you have to clean the house! And anyway, why would you want the intrusion into your private life?

Use email, phone, skype, or, if the person is well enough to go out for coffee/lunch, meet them somewhere local in a cafe/restaurant - even the local library! But not at home.

I had a visit from a bullying manager when I was in hospital after reasonably minor surgery. Needless to say it did not help my recovery or feel supportive or caring.