Off sick - constant checks on me, feeling harassed

[BreatheAndFocus]

Hi - I’m off sick at the moment. I’ve been quite unwell - fever, bad chest, dizziness, vomiting. I reported my sickness to work - and they’ve phoned and texted me constantly ‘to see how I am’ and to ask if I’ll be at meetings, am I better now, etc etc.

I’m feeling really harassed by this and like they’re pressuring me to come back. I didn’t think they were allowed to do this? Is there any rule or guidance online about contacting people when they’re off sick that I can quote at them. It’s been every single day and it’s annoying and downright rude. They even asked me how I think I got ill - which is a bloody stupid question when I’ve clearly got some virus. How do they think people get ill?? Just feeling so stressed by it.

Any links to official guidance would be very welcome. TIA.

I'm really surprised by the amount of people that need to call daily. We call in to start the sickness then phone to resume. Nothing in between.

I felt harassed when I gave birth to a stillborn .... I had been off for 3 weeks prior (bed rest only) ... had all the sick notes. But, after the birth, they kept calling every other day (I thought they were concerned) ... My sick note continued for a further 3 weeks [I had a burial to organise] and they still kept calling - I am sure it was concern BUT it didn't feel like it at the time

Same here. I thought this was standard tbh otherwise how do they know whether you’re going to be in or not?

Assuming not signed off.

Most places require you to ring every day, you should give estimated return time and should ring well ahead of when you’re due to arrive.

depending on the reason you’re off will directly impact how it’s managed. And the nature of your role.

We have to phone before 730 each day and again at 3 to say we are still unwell.

I think the sickness procedure at my place technically should involve phoning daily before my usual start time. Thankfully my boss is trusting and sensible and is happy with a text. I have a long term health condition which sometimes leaves me awake in the night. If that's the case then I don't want to set an alarm so I can ring someone and say I'm stuck. I want to rest so I get better faster.

My company policy is the same as superdupernova.
I have to phone in every day or I’ll get contacted. If you go over 3 days you need a sick note. If you get a sick note for eg 1 week, then you don’t need to phone in for that week.

You might feel it’s unnecessary, but imagine if you lived alone and were lying passed out on the floor. Would you complain then that work called to check if you were still off sick?

Are you self certifying or do you have a fit note, if the latter you should return when the note ends and have a return to work meeting - generally your employer would not be contacting you through the sickness period, unless it’s lengthy. If you are self certifying, you should be phoning in every day anyway, and they are entitled to ask how you are/when you will be back, etc

Hope you can find the guidance and policy you need.

I wonder if it is because it is near to Christmas, and sadly there are those who are often ill at this time of year because they overdo pre-Christmas celebrations.

At my work we should call in each day unless like when I had an operation it was every few days

I'm really surprised anyone doesn't. I thought my workplace was very relaxed and flexible but absolutely I expect contact from anyone in my team who is off ill, either before the working day starts or shortly after it (an email or text is fine) and I'd contact them if they didn't. I don't quite understand what I'd do otherwise - assume they're off until I hear otherwise and spend time sorting out who was covering what for someone who might be fine? Or not sort anything until mid-morning, being like 'oh, heard nothing so I guess Steph is still off'?

Yeh so I would call at 6am to let them know I'm not going to be in. If you haven't made contact by 2pm the next day your shift gets covered.

Thank you, everyone. Yes, I’m self-certified. Only been off 3 days. Today I’ve had 6 messages - 4 about my sickness and 2 telling me to contact someone and tell them this and that (not important and not urgent).

I haven’t been able to find any sickness policy and wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t exist. The tone of the messages is officious and intrusive. Fair enough to ask when I think I’d be back, but they haven’t even asked that. They’ve phoned, they’ve asked ridiculous questions about what’s wrong with me and how did it happen (it’s a bloody virus - how did they think it happened??), asked me to meet them (separately from the meeting they asked if I was going to attend). I feel like I can’t rest and I’m constantly worrying about it and feeling pressurised. I would never take time off if I didn’t need it and my record shows that.

Jesus. If this happened at my work the daily phonecall would go out the window and they'd wait for you to be ready to say you're coming back. I'm really sorry for your loss.

Okay. That’s beyond reasonable.

Advise them that you are unwell with a virus and that you won’t be able to work, in person, at home or via phone/text in the meantime. That online advice for such a virus is to rest and that in order to aid a speedy recovery you won’t be answering calls or looking at texts until you are well. You will update them on Monday.

Are the messages all from people that know you’re sick?

We have to do daily contact. I was sick last month (sickness bug) and on day 3 I was exhausted although I’d stopped vomiting. I got a response that the team had really high sickness and all this work needs doing by 5pm (list included). I stupidly ended up working because it felt less stressful than laying in bed worrying.

Wow, they sound ridiculous.
I ask my line reports if they have anything urgent they need me to cover.

Wow, I'm shocked at the number of people that have to call in each day! If I call in sick, my manager will look at what shifts I'm down to work, then mark me as sick for the next few days. I won't hear from her until the day before I'm due to go back, when I would then update her.

If I feel it's going to be longer then I just inform her I'm self certifying for a week, and will get a further sick note if needed.

Luckily my management team are ok with text messages, so when the time does come to make contact, I can text instead of call.

But what if you would have only been off one day? Then you’ve got a few days of sickness absence on your record when it would only have been 1 in a system where you called/texted/emailed each day. Do you always know exactly how long you’re going to be ill for if you are off with a minor illness?

Bloody hell. They really are taking the piss. Poor you.

It is totally unreasonable for the persistent contact. I would only check in with them when it states in the company policy that you have to.
Send your boss an email and tell them that it is adding to your illness.

Sounds just like where I used to work! Was it retail by any chance?
If I was ill and had to go to the doctor he would always sign me off for a week as he knew the rigmarole I had to go through if I self certed. Or if it was a different doctor I'd just tell them I'd already self certed for a week already.

And you couldn't text, always had to be a call