Job interview while off sick?

[Walnut125]

I work for the NHS in a high pressure clinical role. My job for some months has felt unmanageable and has recently got worse as staff have left and their workload has fallen mainly to me. I calculated all my work into a spreadsheet (all the meetings I am expected to attend, prep time for these and the other many many aspects of my role) and it basically showed that it’s impossible to do my job in the time available. Line manager not particularly supportive and tells me to get on with the job/ manage my time better.

I am at the point that I’m really struggling to cope. I was off yesterday and spent a fair chunk of it crying, feeling overwhelmed and stressed. I did some of the admin tasks I have outstanding too, which is not uncommon for my days off as I am so behind with some aspects of the job. I wake up during the night thinking about work and even cried before I got up this morning. I am in tears writing this.

I have never had time off for stress (only physical health issues and fortunately have a good sickness record), but I am considering taking some time off sick with work related stress as I just can’t cope anymore.

The potential barrier to this is that I’m in the process of applying for another job. Without wanting to be too outing, I work in quite a specialist field and jobs like this just don’t come up very often (if at all), especially where I live. If I don’t apply for this job I am likely to be stuck in my current role for many years to come, unless I change speciality or downgrade which isn’t something I want to do. I have spoken to the appointing manager for the new job, who says I am a strong candidate given my experience and qualifications. The closing date for the advert is this week, so I expect the interview would be in the next couple of weeks.

I’m in two minds as to whether I go off sick now, accepting that attending an interview whilst off sick can be viewed in a negative light, or struggle on at work and decide what to do once the outcome of the interview is known.

Any thoughts/advice welcome.

Attend the interview while off sick, prepare well for the interview and don’t tell the recruiting line manager you’re on sick leave

It would make me more stressed to attend the interview whilst on sick leave than go into work but I understand stress is very different for everyone. Maybe you could try a few days off and see how you feel?
It's difficult.
Are there other reasons that the work is particularly effecting you now? I am usually very laid back so was shocked at how menopause affected me. HRT worked like a magic pill for me stress wise.
Not suggesting that's the case for you but just wondering if there are other things making your stress overwhelming at the moment.
Maybe a short total break from everything might help.
I be worried that someone would see me in my interview gear.

The challenge is that my speciality/professional role is quite niche. It’s a small world and I worry that there might be staff in the two hospitals that talk to each other and it’s known that I went to the interview while off - this could look bad from the point of view of either my current role or the one I’m applying for. I’m also concerned about my sickness record being part of a reference and the reason for the episode of sickness being on there.

Maybe some annual leave might help. The difficulty is that I’d be expected to arrange for my work to be covered, which would create more work, whereas if I’m off sick it’s the employer’s responsibility to arrange that. In some ways annual leave would make me worry more about what I’d be coming back to, whereas if I was off sick it would be up to management to ensure I was supported on my return and that my workload was up to date.

My life outside of work is fine, no concerns at all. I have a supportive partner, great friends and a nice family. No money worries or anything else to cause stress. It’s purely work that’s making me feel like this.

I'm sorry I was t clear. I meant a few days sick leave not annual leave.

What about just taking the day you have off for the interview as holiday leave. Practically it wouldn't make any odds but maybe then you wouldn't feel so conflicted by it.

For me it would feel wrong to go to an interview when I was on sick leave. It would feel dishonest to me. Other people wouldn't mind and I understand that but I couldn't do it. You can't be too ill to work but well enough to attend an interview, that is obviously going to feel wrong.

Personally, and I seem to be going against the grain here, but I think it's fine to attend a job interview whilst you're on sick leave especially as it's the impossible demands of the current post that are understandably making you sick. I mean how much more proactive could you possibly be?! I also work in the NHS btw. I haven't been in this exact situation but I totally empathise with you.

I know a couple of people (NHS) who've gone for interviews and been successful while off long term sick.
Didn't cause any issues so if you do go off sick I wouldn't worry too much.

But in your situation as you were not actually off sick when you applied for job I'd probably try and hang in there or take annual leave until the interview, which is likely to be quite soon after closing date. Remember NHS usually asks for sickness absence record for past 2 years in reference. In both of the cases above, when the candidate was offered the job they then had to disclose they were off sick as they knew it would come up in the reference. They then had to go to OH which was then just another layer of stress and uncertainty.

But at the end of the day only you know how near the end of your tether you are and if you feel you can't go on then it's ok to go off sick with work related stress.

Good luck

I don’t think there is anything wrong with it.
I have been off for about 4 weeks due to stress and have been applying for jobs as I don’t want to go back to current job because it’s made me poorly.

I just landed the new job and it will change my life.

This isn't true in my trust re the nhs asking for your sickness absence record.

Honestly if I was a recruiting manager and heard (rightly or wrongly) that a candidate was off sick with stress it would make me very wary.

All jobs have stress sometimes and while it sounds like your current boss is a poor manager if it came down to a choice between similar candidates I would consider sick leave as a factor.

You need to take a list of prioritised tasks to your manager and tell her what you will not be doing until such time as workload is eased, obviously patient care being the top of that.

You should have routes via clinical supervision to highlight this and bring it to a more senior leaders attention if necessary.

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated.

Interesting to see the split between views of whether to go off sick or not.

I think I will, once again, put my concerns in writing, giving clear evidence of the workload and stating its impact on me. As a manager myself I don’t think I could ignore such a concern and I’ll escalate higher up if I need to. I’ll try to struggle on until after the interview, if I’m successful the light at the end of the tunnel might make the load feel lighter and I’d potentially be at the point of handing things over. If I’m not successful and things don’t change then it might be the right time to consider a break, if the GP agrees.

I’ve never been off with stress before, so I’m not even sure how keen a GP would be to provide me with a sick note.

Call in sick, tell them why you are calling in sick.
Go for the interview and don't say anything. The other hospital /trust cannot breach confidentiality about you being off sick and use it against you.
You can't continue in your current role it's making you unwell.
Sending you love and strength

I am fortunate I have never got to breaking point with stress and needed time off, but the times I have felt most stressed in my career is when I felt I had no control and trapped either by work or personal stress with no way out.

Getting back control, looking at options and moving towards a way out is part of OPs health recovery. No one expects someone off with stress not to investigate ways to make themselves better. If she had a broken leg, a physical job and was concerned the physical injury was long term no one would question them investigating alternatives. Even employers do not want employees back if the job is not suitable for their health challenges long term.

Good luck with your recovery OP.

Does your NHS trust have a wellbeing at work or a stress management protocol? I'd be researching this on your trust intranet. You may find that there is policy that you can use in your favour, to get your overwork situation addressed. Have you had any job planning recently?