Teacher signed off work ill, how much work should I be doing from home?

[Reastie]

Teach secondary but signed off indefinitely (could likely be several months, has already been been about 3 weeks. Work know it’s likely to be a decent stretch of time). Work in independent sector.

School have refused to get in a supply teacher until I’ve been off for longer (I imagine maybe they’re waiting for my ssp to start before they get someone else in) and I’ve been informed I need to set cover for all classes until they get a supply teacher in.

I love my job and I love the students. I want to do a good job. I want to be fit for working but I can’t at present. I don’t want to let anyone down and make more work than is needed for teachers at the school who are covering my lessons.

I’m really struggling setting cover. I’m writing powerpoints and worksheets for students to fill in that follows the scheme of work they need to complete but it’s taking me a lot of time at home and due to the subject I teach and the health issue I am signed off with it makes it very hard and slow progress and creating these resources is making me worse because of the issue I’m signed off with and I’m having to do it when I feel up to it and have lots of breaks in between preparing so it’s all quite hard work to do and is, whilst doing it, making my symptoms worse for the reason I’ve been signed off. I am the sole teacher in the school for this subject and all my usual resources are on the school computer system which I can’t access from home.

I’ve tried to ring my union for advice as to what I should be doing but they never answer their phone and when they call back after I leave a message I’m always feeling too unwell at that moment to be able to speak to them (I’m very variable and so can’t always speak when I feel bad).

I feel like I shouldn’t be doing all of this work from home whilst signed off yet I really don’t want to let the students down by not doing it. I don’t know what to do for the best. I just wish they would get someone to replace me whilst I’m off!

Does anyone have any advice or knowledge as to expectations of me as a teacher in the private sector whilst signed off ill?

None!

None!

So I shouldn’t have to set any cover? But then what will the students do in their lessons?! They have no subject specific teacher there to teach or set relevant work. I know it’s not my problem as I’m off ill but I feel like if I don’t do all this work the students will lose out.

I’m pretty horrified by this. You should pass on where you are up to on the scheme of work and any important details about the work/classes and that’s it.

As far as I’m aware, schools are not meant to contact people who are signed off unwell to hassle them about the work.

I hope you get some good advice here.

None. You need to email your head and clearly state that you are too unwell to work, and that the expectation that you will work from home is making you unwell, and that you are concerned that it will invalidate their insurance due to the fact you are signed off as unfit to work.

Thank you cauliflower. I just felt down about it spending literally all morning today prepping stuff for work and having to keep stopping as it was making my symptoms worse that I’m signed off for. I want to do what I can to help and be a good member of staff but I don’t want to be taken advantage of.

Dh said I should stop doing anything once ssp kicks in (which isn’t until roughly the new year I think although I’d be on half pay before that)

I am not teaching any longer but when I was signed off at 30 weeks pregnant until my mat leave started (so not returning to work until the END of maternity leave) I sent in weekly plans as normal for the supply teacher to do. I think I did that off my own back though...

I also think I was told that schools (or maybe just my school??) had insurance to cover the payment of supply staff in the event of sickness.

Thanks else. It’s very clear cut in the state sector and I would not be expected to be doing this there but usually in the private sector I have to do as I’m told a lot more.

I think I’ll get everything in place for up to Christmas and say that’ll be it for me doing stuff from home as it’s making my symptoms that I’m signed off for worse. Then I will have done all work for them for over 6 weeks and given them warning I will not be able to do beyond that so they can plan accordingly.

Twll it’s very different in the private sector and varies from school to school with sick pay etc.

I certainly don’t get even nearly half the sick pay the state sector teachers have.

I believe insurance for sickness cover used to be a thing, but I don't know schools who have it now.

You shouldn't be making yourself worse by working. Ordinarily I would say HoD should sort long term cover, but I'm the only person yeaching my subject in my school too. Can you suggest a textbook and your line manager instructs whoever is covering to get the students to work through that? What is the subject?

If you were off for a day or 2 with a cold setting cover might be expected. However, for anything more than that the HoD should be setting cover. I used to get into work early so that if any of my staff members were off I could plan cover and do any necessary photocopying.
Email your HoD stating where each class is up to in the SoW and then stop sending in any more work. If you were hospitalised you physically wouldn't be able to do this so they must have a plan in place for dealing with cover. They are taking advantage of you I'm afraid.

It’s actually my hod asking for the info (as well as the head telling me I need to send in cover).

Madonna I don’t have the gcse text book at home with me and the a level class doesn’t have a set text book (and it’s the first time I’m teaching this a level course so haven’t made the resources or know the course well enough to just set quick work).

So far I’ve managed to plan all classes up to Christmas apart from one year group but it’ll take me a few hours for this to do it properly.

You don't need to have the GCSE book with you. Just tell your HoD what topics they need to cover. She/he can work it out! And they might have to splash out on some A level books. There will surely be one aligned to the spec you are doing.

If you’re not sure, ask HR or the Headteacher to put in writing what work they expect you to complete while you are signed off sick, so that you can discuss it with your doctor.

Madonna there does not exist a text book to the a level! I know, it’s a nightmare. There are several useful text books but nothing aligned to the course. And I’ve just discovered that I’ve done a brilliant sow for the alevel but it only goes as far as Christmas as I was going to update the next term at Christmas so I have all that to do too . I have a plan in my head for what when but I was going to iron it all out over Christmas. (For context I didn’t know I would be teaching a level until September so didn’t spend time preparing beforehand)

Cauliflower they’ve already explicitly told me I need to prep cover until they get someone to replace me but I didn’t know until this week end they weren’t looking to replace me for a while.

I believe insurance for sickness cover used to be a thing, but I don't know schools who have it now

Our (state) school has this.
You should not be doing any work - what would they do if (like me a few years ago), you went home on the Friday and were in hosp ahead of an urgent op on the Monday, would they still expect work?! Course not.

Your employer is stupid in the extreme - for not planning (insurance) and for hassling you whilst off sick (union issue if it continues).

Head of department should be arranging it, not you. You just say where you got up to. I provided powerpoints for my year 11s when I got signed of early on mat leave but only because I'd already had them. When you are signed off it is because you are too ill to work.

Thank you, I’m going to try my union again tomorrow and hope they ring back when I feel well enough to speak to them about it.

You shouldn't be doing anything.
Your HOD is paid to manage the department and that includes absence.

I am a HOD and in that situation I would 100% tell my member of staff to focus on getting better and forget about work. At the beginning of the sickness period I would have asked where the children were in the SOW if member of staff was up to a quick conversation but even that can be sourced from looking at exercise books. Completely wrong that you are being asked to do anything. Sick leave is sick leave. You are too ill to work, simples.

Agree with PPs, you are signed off so should not be working. Get well soon