Probation and sick leave for new vag !

[K0lY4k1N]

Greetings !
I had my son 3.5 years ago, and thanks to forceps and a hell of a lot of (life-saving) rummaging post-delivery, my foof is knackered and I referred for prolapse repair and hysterectomy. I had the op booked for July, but have just been offered a job, after a bout of freelancing. It's working for the NHS who have a standard probationary period of 6 months (even for 12 month fixed term contract !).

So the risk is going for the op (which has a 6 week recovery period) during probation, when I effectively have a one week notice period.

Despite one of the interview panel being about to go off on maternity leave, they were arses about any sort of part-time / compressed hours. I asked to go down to 0.9 in September when my son starts school so I can do one 3.15 pick up a week, but they advised me to take it as leave. Given their attitude to working conditions, I'm probably going to have to reschedule the op, as they won't be happy about 6 weeks off.

If I do cancel, they can't reschedule as far ahead as 6 months time apparently and I will have to drop off the list and be re-referred to the list again in the autumn. Has this happened to anyone else ? Was your GP a pain about re-referring ?

Any advice much appreciated !!

I think you're conflating 2 issues here - the need to take time out for a scheduled operation including recovery time, and your request for a reduced working pattern (ie flexible working).

I wouldn't reschedule your OP, your health is more important than anything. Couldn't you continue freelancing until after the OP and convalescence- or otherwise negotiate a delayed start when you know your health will be fully back on track?

It's difficult to say how they were being "arses" about your FW request, if the role you were being interviewed for was advertised as a Full time role, then you asking for something different may not have gone down well at interview. What might have been better was to accept the role with the hours specified and successfully complete your probation, after which you have the right to formally request FW (after 26 weeks).

I agree that an employer's attitude to compressed hours is not necessarily indicative of the view they will take to a scheduled medical procedure.

I think many employers are reluctant to agree to flexible working schedules for new employees when the role was advertised as full time and the reliability and efficiency of the new hire is as yet uncertain. Often once you've established your dependability and work product employers are much more willing to be accommodating.

The NHS generally has fairly robust policies and procedures in place regarding sickness, so you should find speaking to HR helpful.

One episode of 6 weeks won't be cause for them sacking you in your probationary period. It's more for serial piss takers, I work in NHS payroll and you'd be surprised at how many people start work and within a few months are off for months on end and don't send in sick notes and even then it takes ages for them to be terminated.

My probationary period was 12 months at my current trust and unfortunately within that time I had three episodes of sicknesses (hysterectomy, related absence before the op and chickenpox) and they were absolutely fine (although also shitty about flexible working when I first started!)

You don't know what might change with operations offered and your health is the number one priority here.