To tell Occupational Health I HATE MY JOB and can't go back?

[Cocofelix]

Hello mumsnetters,

I have been off work with stress recently and have my 1st appointment with occupation health this Friday. This is all new to me and I have no idea what to say. I presume the role of OH is to get employees back to work / discuss adjustments needed etc? If I'm honest, the thought of going back to my work makes me physically and mentally sick! The office politics is awful and I can't handle the bullying from my awful manager. I already wrote my resignation letter but sadly can't hand it in as I can't afford to pay the maternity pay I received. What shall I say? I'm actually worried about saying the wrong this as surely I can't say I despise my job? There's always wise advice here and I would be really grateful for your input / if you've gone through similar. Thank you so much.

OH will be discussing your health and stress levels, what they can suggest to the employer to mitigate this (think about any adjustments to the role which might minimise contact with perpetrator for example) . If you are being bullied could you raise a grievance?

So sorry you are going through this.

Take a deep breath.

Youa re signed off with stress? There are only three options - the stress is caused by the job, the stress is something to do with you, or the stress is a bit of both.

Do not tell OH you hate your job - tell them:

-you are stressed
-what causes the stress
-what would help the stress improve

Could you get advice from your union?

@LIZS The only adjustments they can make would be a new manager and that will never happen. There's no way of minimising contact as this woman saves us seats in the mornings and insists that the 'team' sit together despite the really frosty atmosphere. I think she gets a massive kick out of people's misery. She even rang me and asked me how long I think I would be off when I sent off the sick note. I wish I had the courage or energy to raise a grievance.

@carefullycourageous Yes, I have a sick note for 4 weeks. The stress is definitely caused by work. The union rep and manager are friends who have known each other for over 10 years so I feel he will be really biased.

Occupational health will be providing you advice, and the organisation advice on how to support your health in the workplace.

if you have issues in the workplace it is your line management chain or HR you need to speak to (2nd line manager if not first line etc)

they can’t change anything and support you back into work unless you tell them what is causing the issues.

if you are still in the pay back period of maternity pay, how long have you been back? How long have the issues been going on?

Can you be redeployed to another department?

My manager is causing my work related stress too. Don't know what to say to OH. I'm in the civil service so unionised.

How long have you been back from Mat leave? What’s your employers policy? Mine was we had to return for 3m but could hand notice in after 2m with no penalty.
You could extend your sick leave to cover your notice period.
No job is worth making yourself poorly for.
I hope the meeting goes well.

@IBelieveInPink I have now been back for 3 months but am required to return for 6 months before I can leave, otherwise I will face a penalty.
Unfortunately, there’s no adjustments that can be made unless I the manager leaves as I just can’t work with this woman.

@SailingNotSurfing There’s no opportunity for redeployment as there are no vacancies in the organisation.

@IcecreamForAlcohol I’m sorry you’re stressed too and hope things work out for you.

@Jojobees - thank you. I feel awful but it seems I have no other option than to extend my sick note. My doctor actually suggested I look for another job as he could see the level of my stress and anxiety.

Maybe it is worth considering paying the penalty?

You can contact the union branch and explain that there's a conflict of interest because your workplace rep is a personal friend of the person you need to submit a grievance about.

Extend your sick leave to the 6 month point.

How long does your sick pay last? Do you have annual leave to be used?

What would happen if you stayed off sick for the next three months whilst job hunting? Seems like the simplest option to me.....

Oh, and not that I'm suggesting this - but, legally, six months' employment when you're signed off sick due to stress related to circumstances arising in a formal grievance procedure is just the same as six months' employment where you go to work every day...and it's not unheard of for a settlement agreement (because they don't want to keep paying sick leave or risking an employment tribunal that will be extremely costly) to include the sum of money paid as enhanced maternity...

In my organisation, redeployment might be an option depending on your role.

Alternatively, go and tell OH the re reasons for the work-related stress - warts and all - and see where it takes you, if you can bear to do it.

OP - you may have to raise a grievance. How can raising a grievance make it any worse?

You do not have to involve the union if you do not trust them. You can go direct to your line manager's manager with the grievance. Read your company's policy.

Our sick leave policy is quite generous, 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay. I can't afford to pay back the maternity so I guess I will have to extend my sickness certificate until I complete the 6 months required. In the interim I am looking for another job but I'm sure a long sickness record wouldn't exactly appeal to a potential employer.

Your current employer shouldn't disclose details of your sick leave so you should be ok there xx

I'd be very frank about how your manager's behaviour has affected your MH. You may get a transfer or redeployment, but I'd hope that the manager's behaviour would be addressed.

A manager where I work ended up on a performance management plan because of her bullying. I think it would have ended in her leaving or being fired eventually, but she got caught out doing something really stupid which was a disciplinary matter, got demoted and transferred to the other side of the county and left soon afterwards.

Sorry but that isn't true. If asked how much time off sick someone has had, they can answer that. They can't disclose why, but factual information about the amount of sick leave is commonly disclosed. The OP is also required to honestly disclose that information if asked, but they cannot (legally) be asked until after an offer is made.

OP, are you public sector? They are generally more forgiving of long term sick leave due to stress - you'd probably have to have an OH fitness to work assessment before they'll confirm the offer. But those are generally light touch.