Quick question regarding time off work for an operation.

[trixymalixy]

Do I have to take holiday or will it be counted as sick leave?

Should be sick leave unless you're having your boobs done..

If your employer pays SSP then you won't be paid for the first three days and SSP after that with a certificate.

If this is the case, and you don't want to have three days unpaid leave - you might want to take it as A/L. It depends how long you're going to be off for, I suppose?

Is that right, flowery? Do employers not have to pay SSP for cosmetic surgery?

I'm having a little joke

I don't actually know about the SSP thing. Probably they would have to as the person would be signed off by the doctor afterwards presumably. Hmm, hadn't thought of that before.

My reason for teasing about getting boobs done was that I would expect someone in that position to take holiday rather than sick leave, but if the company only pays SSP I can't think of a reason why they wouldn't have to pay it in that instance.

I'm waffling now and my dinner's ready!

It's not a cosmetic operation, it is medical, i need to have a bit of bone removed from my heel as it is causing problems walking.

i just didn't know as it was an operation i can schedule rather than an emergency whether it would count as being sick IYSWIM.

I would definitely classify it as sick. What sort of sick pay do you get?

I get six months paid sick leave.

Just always feel guilty taking sick leave even if I'm at death's door!

trixy, the surgery team should have a standard time for recovery and should be able to let you have that.
If the surgery is invasive you will need more time off than you anticipate and the doctors will tell you how much. Either the hospital or your GP surgery will give you a certificate if the period of advised time away from work is more than 5 days.

My public sector employer works on the basis that invasive surgery requires six weeks off post-discharge. In fact people tend to return well before this, but that should give you some idea
I had a minor non-invasive gynae procedure done two years ago which required a GA and was off for four days afterwards. By then I felt well enough to return to work. Quite frankly the GA was more of an issue than the op. I felt rubbish.

If you get paid sick leave trixy definitely should be that, don't feel guilty, that's what it's for, better used for that than for umpteen hangovers/Monday morning blues!