Suspended due to illness

[Rachie206]

my doctors recently signed me off work due to a ruptured cyst and being ill with it my first day back at work was today and I have been suspended due to my time off is that allowed?

Yes suspended with full pay till Friday

“Needed another”

so you asked to be signed off?

12th till 22nd December

You need to read your contract, OP, in particular with regard to what it says about medical absence. It might lay down terms for what is called 'medical suspension' - if your suspension falls within the terms then you are entitled to be paid in full. You will need to read the whole contract very carefully to be clear whether or not you have a 'probationary period' or whatever it might be called, and what applies during that time.
The only reason I know about this is that after a very long absence, my employer was trying to stave off my return in order to save themselves money. I was able to say that if they did not allow me to have a meeting with a view to returning, I would consider myself to be medically suspended and that I would expect to revert to my full salary from sick pay. Of course, I got what I wanted as it was clear I had been speaking about it to my union - I would never have known such a thing as medical suspension existed otherwise.

Yes that’s why they suspended me because it’s a lot of time off in my time period I’ve been there but I said it’s something that was out of my control

OP what did they actually say when they suspended you. Did you Goni to work and they sent you home? Did they give you a letter? What did they actually say?

Hmm see you’re not answering on the what type of cyst and what was the treatment, and symptoms.

You keep saying its out of your control. Granted. But they're your employer. You're paid to do a job, if you can't do it, they need to investigate why.

They are likely to have suspended you as you've specifically been given 10 days off, 10 days before your workplace was due to close for Christmas, during your probation. They may want to know more via a GP report re any treatment you had, if you had a scan to confirm, or if you just presented with symptoms and asked for a sick note. This would require a referral to occupational health. I'm in two minds. Part of me thinks it shouldn't matter, people can get sick anytime. Another part knows that deep down I would ve highly suspicious as an employer.

So you worked six weeks then had three off for sickness/closure. I would imagine they hoped you would be generating sales by now.

In the light of your last post, OP, if you have access to your records (which you should have now, via the NHS app, Systmonline (sp?) or the airmed app, print off the records about what has gone on and take them into the meeting with you.
Alongside your GP fit note, they won't be able to argue with it unless there are specific terms laid down in your contract.

Yes that’s what I’m thinking. If the op presented with symptoms, did she get any treatment, and if so what was it, I’m assuming they will ask for a gp report to see if this was necessary or not.

Op.
I think it's pretty clear that they are going to sack you on Friday which unfortunately they are able to do for more or less any reason in the first couple of months of employment.
I'd get your cv out there asap

It’s was 7.2cm simple cyst which ruptured I had to go to A&E I had a bad pain and bleeding they gave me painkillers and checked on the ultrasound they kept me till the following afternoon send me away with painkillers and told me to monitor my bleeding

Doesn’t seem right that because you’re there for less than 2 years employers can do what they want. I have a young family and basically can’t risk moving and being sacked say… if the kids got ill and I took time off etc. what are you supposed to do?!
But I assume they think there might be performance issues if they expected you to be able to measure up by now etc (whether that’s fair or not?!) plus the illness and the sign off ending just before the Christmas closure they might have an impression of you that makes them think it’s better to cut you loose! Dont get the suspension thing though?! I can’t imagine you’re a risk to the company or customers?!

I think it's because it's a sales job, they are usually pretty ruthless.

What a horrible company. I wouldn’t want to shop there.

Have you been given any clear targets or things to achieve during your probation?
If you have not been performing at the level they'd expect, even if it's because you were off sick, then they can fail your probation.
All you can do is wait until the meeting and maybe gather your notes and anything you have contract and policy and see what they say

tbf no one was really making sales during December as a lot trade go quiet till January in the run up to Christmas, my dad had a heart attack and I still went into work because I knew i had only just started and wouldn’t look great nothing really adds up but I’ll let you know Friday afternoon

That's a big cyst OP. I had a ruptured 5.5cm cyst which was considered large. The trust removed it the same day due to pain and bleeding and said they remove anything over 5cm with symptoms due to the risks associated. I'm surprised they've left it, but then I'm not a doctor (though work alongside them daily!). Sadly I would prepare to not have a job on Friday (I wouldn't want to work there after this anyway).

No nothing because of when I started they was already in the middle of there targets so I had to sit and observe and December I was told just to ring the customers to see if they needed anything before Christmas close down so if needed we could order it in I was January they would sit me down and properly train me and go through calls and give me an idea of what to say to customers and things

I suppose they are thinking that you don't need ten days off just before a two week break for a cyst. Especially if there was a possibility to work from home, (was there?). They might be thinking you were a risk. I don't think it's that unusual after a short time. But good luck OP - hope it works out.

If they've decided to get rid of you, they can. You have less than two years service and it's not due to a protected characteristic.

The ins and outs of why you were off don't really matter. It sounds like they've decided to cut their losses. Sorry.

Yeah it’s never caused me any bother I didn’t even know I had it I was having a scan a couple of months ago because my doctors think I have endometriosis and want me to be checked for it, it was the scan that picked that cyst up but my sonography said he wasn’t concerned about it but I have my hospital appointment on the 30th of this month to discuss everything

Do you have your A&E discharge paperwork? That at least would 'prove' you really were ill.

I agree with PP that they may think you were skiving. So any proof you have that you were genuinely unable to work may help you keep your job, if possible.