Signed off

[Alwayinapickle]

I have been signed off work for the past 7 weeks and have another sick line in . This is due to having the year from hell in terms of finances family health problems my DH having a bad accident where he has been left unable to walk temporarily and I also find my job incredibly stressful . I work in local government and haven’t been off sick for years but I am stressing about being absent from work . My line manager hasn’t contacted me I have called in each time I have had a sick note . I spoke to HR too as I have an interview for a post I applied for some time ago and they said it is fine to go to this . I know colleagues in the past who have been absent from work longer than me but I suffer from extreme anxiety normally never mind when I am off and just want some reassurance that I am ok to be off . I just feel so bleak about nearly every part of my life at the moment .

It's very poor form on your manager's behalf not to have contacted you. S/he should be arranging regular contact with you at a mutually agreed time, to support you in being able to return to work..

I would either phone and speak directly to your manager or ask HR to pass on a message requesting a call back.

Even leading up to the stages where my fit note had been due to end there has been no contact at all she is fairly new to management so I am not sure if that’s why but the longer I don’t have contact the more anxious I get . I know a few of my colleagues are also absent at the moment but I would not feel comfortable contacting them to ask if they had had management contact . I’m sitting on a Saturday night stressing about this :(

No, don't contact your colleagues.

Contact HR and request that your manager calls you ASAP.

It can be difficult to make time for calls like this if you are a busy manager, but there is no excuse for not doing so - employee wellbeing should be a top priority.

My manager was aware I have been struggling with different issues for some months . There’s never been any issues with my performance or anything though I basically just seem to slip under the radar at work.

Unfortunately despite your personal family challenges, business needs to continue and yes it will feel like you're off the pace or under the radar. If you can reconcile that situation as being normal rather than aimed at you personally, that may help.

nowadays HR tends to recommend that managers don't make too much contact with a sick employee to give them space to get better. They certainly shouldn't be contacting you on a regular basis, as to many people that will increase pressure on them.

if your organisation runs an Employee Assistance Programme, that's your best bet to tap into and get some counselling sessions to help you recover.