Resigning while on sick leave (school)

[Louna78]

Hi everyone,

I hope someone can help.
I work in a school as support worker(cook)
I have been off sick due to shoulder injury for about 2 months. I am entitled to 52 days full pay sick days and half pay thereafter.
My sick note finishes in 2 weeks, therefore I will have to go back for 3 weeks before end of term.
I don’t want to come back as I am still in pain and feel really stressed about it, they haven’t treated me well when I went off sick and it has affected me mentally a lot.
I am on prorata, my question is, can I extend my sick note until 19th July (end of term) and still get paid full pay in August?
I was thinking of resigning on the 19th July, last day, will I still get August pay.

Thanks for reading, I look forward to your answers

I don't know the answer but bumping for you.

What I do know is that you never resign because then you can't get unemployment benefits for months and months as they say you made yourself intentionally jobless.

So line up something else, even if it's temping in a bakery or some random thing not related to education rather than resign.

Is there a need for after school care or pick up and drop off because mums are always looking for someone they trust to do that so you could potentially do that in future as well as something else part time?

I would go back and do a day, if the pain is still there (likely) then phone in sick the next day, self certify for the week and then get another sick note for a week or 2 to take you until the end of term.

Do not resign.

Hopefully the additional time over the holidays will help.

I do have another job to go to starting around 24th July, I know that it is possible to hand a notice in while on sick, I just need to know if I will get my August pay as technically I have “worked” the full term
Mentally I don’t feel I can go back
Thank you

No one will know without looking at your contract, finding out your notice period and how your pay is calculated.

My contract says 1 month notice to be given.
52 days full sick pay, half thereafter.
support staff in a school paid prorata, I started on September 2022

Is your pay for term time only but paid over 12 months? If so they should calculate your pay and still give you pay for the weeks you've worked.

I'm assuming your term time only yes? So it will depend on when your pay is calculated and payed from. As most term time only contracts are split into 12 equale payments and payed that way. They should calculate the amount left on the contract and pay you the remaining amount. That maybe as a lump sum when you leave rather then a August payment, depending on if you are moving school trusts. Some schools/trusts can be slow in paying this.

I would ask for another sick note from your doctors until the end of term as you are still in pain. You shouldn't need to return to work before being off again, and hand in your notice. They should then calculate how much you are owed based on how much of the year you have worked.

Op you can resgin before the last day of term if you want but stating that you want your last day of work to be the 30th August. This is an option if you want to hand your notice in sooner.

Does your contract allow you to work somewhere else whilst in your notice period for your current job?

Make sure it doesn't include any possible PD days though, just in case they try to get you back in for those at the end of the holidays. It's very common for staff in my line of work (also school support staff) to do this.

@Overthebow I would very much doubt they would be this sort of clause in support staff contracts as they often have more then one job.

But a good idea to double check this @Louna78

@MigGirl I know it’s hard to calculate but if I get 52 days off sick full pay and hand my notice in 19th July, I shouldn’t loose any pay?
I have been off since 6th of May so it’s approximately 52 days less a week if I extend my sick note until end of term.
Also we would need to come back for one day for cleaning end of August. If I end my notice end of term I am assuming they can deduct that day from final pay?

@RobinStrike yes it is

A few support staff do have another job along school job

I found out staff have to come back on 22nd of July for training day, children won’t be in.
I was thinking of extending the sick note until then and hand my notice in that day also?
Instead of the 19th.
It makes sense that my last working day should be 22nd?
Thank for all your help, I feel like I am finally getting somewhere 🙂

Yes you might lose that one day, but I'm assuming that won't be a big problem. Yes just make sure you get the sick note to cover the correct period. We also have a July PD day supposedly disaggregated for us so hopefully we shouldn't be in but they always confirm these things last minute at our school.

What is your new job? Surely if you're too ill to work at the moment then how will you suddenly recover for end of July? Sorry but it sounds like you're taking advantage.

I will recover as they won’t make me lift heavy loads for 3 weeks and do the work of 3 people.
Also I won’t be treated badly and bullied for the time remaining which will also help in my recovery, and lower my anxiety which has aggravated my nerve pain.
If anything they are the ones at fault so no I am not taking advantage and my new job doesn’t involve physical work.
I am only asking advice as I have a mortgage to pay and will loose money regardless.
Thanks for replying

Get your sick note extended and hand in notice one month before you want to leave as per contract