Sick leave & contact with manager

[linensand]

I work for the NHS. I'm currently signed off on sick leave due to stress, depression and dealing with caring for a parent currently end of life, as I have been struggling to cope with it all combined with my autism. I've been off for 3 weeks so far. My GP signed me off and I've moved in to help care for my parent for the last few weeks/months of their life. I've never been signed off before and so am not sure what the rules are re contact with work, plus I am quite new to this job role. My manager has text me everyday. It's mostly not about anything work related but 'checking in' constantly, emailing events and arts workshops she wants to do. I've started just ignoring it and replying a day or two later but as soon as I reply I get bombarded with more texts about what she's wearing, her diet, random things I don't care about. I find it quite triggering and stressful since I have multiple texts and calls daily from her, now other colleagues, hospice team etc. I have autism and find too many texts and calls stressful as it is. I've also learnt that everyone has been told the dates on my sick note and that I will be returning to work on such and such a date. Which is not something I have discussed yet and not my plan. There is a little bit of backstory about her behaviour as she is quite manipulative, has a reputation for being a back stabbed, very intense and tries to involve herself in my spare time too. I really want to just be left alone but I know they do need to keep in contact etc.

Is this a normal amount of contact from a manager at a time like this? Daily?

Oh my god this is not normal at all. You’ve been signed off, they should be leaving you alone. Can you contact HR and tell them you are being contacted daily and it’s making you more stressed? She especially shouldn’t be contacting you with chit chat and personal things, that’s really bizarre!

Tell HR so that it’s logged (do it via email) and then stop responding completely.

Once you’re feeling better I’d start looking for a new job as well to be honest. You shouldn’t have to but I wouldn’t want to work for someone like this.

Some contact with your manager is appropriate regarding your welfare and if there is anything the business can do to help, but not this.

It depends where you work, but wherever I have worked contact us instigated by the sick person. I would have to call in everyday before my shift started to give them an update, but with a sick note I wouldn't need to call in at all. It seems very excessive to me

If you have put in a sick note you do not need further contact for the duration of it. They will not be expecting you at work.
And that's definitely excessive contact. I would be telling her you cannot have any contact from anyone from work. Report it to her manager or HR if it persists

Your GP has decided that you are not fit to work and your employer has been provided with a copy of the fit note.

Your employer should therefore not be involving you in anything regarding actual work or bother with personal chit-chat...

Are they doing this through your personal phone/email address?

If so I would send once response back copying HR into it stating that as per your fit note you are not able to deal with anything work-related at the moment and to remind them that your personal contact details should not be used in this way.

I have been signed off for a month due to some serious health issues. I have provided my sick notes and sent a couple of emails to update them on the evolution of my treatment and progress. That's it.

Daily is excessive, but even with a GP note there will be contact.

Why dont you ask for the Attendance Management policy to be sent to you so that you can read the expectations for employee engagement?

In my place it is an informal meeting at 14 days consecutive calendar days and then monthly and a formal meeting at 28 consecutive calendar days followed by quarterly meetings.

If I were your manager I wouldnt be contacting you daily but I would refer you to Occupational Health to have an idea about return dates and any support you need and use the informal and formal meetings to see how you are etc

Thank you everyone. It's reassuring to know that I'm not wrong. I'm not usually quite as wound up about things as this, but I think the stress of everything combined with my autism and lack of recognising normal social queues has amplified things for me. I was considering changing jobs before this anyway due to these behaviours and the role not suiting me. But this has been the push I needed to be serious about leaving once I'm back in the real world.

Yes it is my personal number and email I have been contacted on. I have checked my NHS emails and not had any contact about my sickness. I will contact HR next week.