Threatened at work

[auraaura]

I'm being threatened at work and my employer won't listen. Can I stay at home and say I'm sick. Do I need a doctor's note? Thanks

Who is threatening you? Is it a customer/service user or a colleague? Do you have proof that can't be ignored e.g a witness or emails etc? What kind of threats? Was it once or ongoing?

It may be a matter for the police, which might make your manager take notice.

The doctor can't sign you off just because you were threatened. If it's causing you sufficient stress that you can't go to work then of course you can call in sick if you like.

Personally I don't think this is necessarily the most productive way to deal with it, does your manager have a manager you can go to?

I work in a school. A child (but he's large) with additional learning needs. I dont feel safe.

I can sign off with stress (to remove myself from the situation) and then deal with the manager's manager.

My manager refuses to deal with it.

On going and yes witnesses.

Oh that’s bad isn’t it, it’s not good for either you or the child.

Be sure to specify it’s work related stress.

Your manager refusing to deal with it just isn’t good enough is it. They will do that all the time you continue to do the job so it’s not their problem. Removing yourself makes it their problem, and I’m sure they will be more willing to sort it out then. I’d imagine they have no idea what to do, or else surely they would have done it by now, but that’s your problem. No matter what, you have the right to feel safe whilst you’re doing your job. It’s awful when you can’t trust that your manager will help make this possible.

Do you have an idea as to how you would like the situation resolved? That’s always a good place to start one you have their attention, so maybe have a think about it beforehand.

You can self certify for seven days and will then need a fit note from the doctor.

Put it all in writing first. Contact your union and get advice. You should give them a 'reasonable' time period to correct the situation. Only your union can really guide you as to what that timescale should be, it's specialist advice you need.

At the end of the reasonable period, you can ask to be redeployed to somewhere safe or to be placed on paid leave until they can make the situation safe.

They need to decide what the solution is, you identify the problem and offer to discuss potential solutions.

Only after you've exhausted this should you go off sick, with work related stress. You need to show you have taken reasonable steps to resolve the issue first. Otherwise you risk been managed out for sickness absence. Keep the ball firmly in their court at all times.

Thank you so much for the advice. Really good people out there. Very grateful