Probation period - breast tumour

[Greatrainplane]

Hi All,

I went through a terrible experience at my previous job this time last year (awful manager I’d tried hard to stay on the good side of, they weren’t meeting their targets, I met mine and exceeded theirs, sudden onset illness I was hospitalised for but dragged myself back to work after 7 days and manager put me on a PIP/ capability assessment and tried to get me fired).

I started a new role last year and I’m 5 months in to my 6 month probation. I think everything’s going well- got a mention by the CEO for some work I did, saved a huge project in my second week, lots of thanks from colleagues copying my manager in, saved the company hundreds of thousands and my manager seems pleased. They’ve told me to book a conference for May which was a good sign.

The issue is last year, during my illness, I also found a breast lump. It’s a benign tumour thankfully and I was told they don’t tend to grow and they would just leave it where it is. Unfortunately it has grown recently, quite dramatically, and I need to go for another scan and biopsy next week.

My contract doesn’t allow for paid sick leave in the first 6 months (although would this be sick leave?) and I also don’t want to raise any concerns at work. My previous experience with taking sick leave has made me really wary.

I WFH and my hours are fairly flexible in that I sometimes have to work in the night and then I’ll take a few hours off the next day etc. My team tend to manage our time in the way we need to. I had been thinking of going without saying anything and then working late but my partner thinks I should tell my boss.

What would you do?

I wouldn't try to sneak away for the appointment. That might make you feel even more stressed, I know I would be.
If you don't want anyone to know at the moment could you take it as annual leave or officially as accrued time in lieu?

Can you say you have an appt you need to attend without going in to detail and offer to make the
time up later that day/week or take flex time you have already built up. Otherwise annual leave.

I'd go in my flexible time

Agree with previous posters. This isn't sick leave anyway. Quite a few employers offer paid special leave for hospital appointments which cannot be scheduled outside core hours. But if you don't want to tell them, the annual leave or flexi is the most appropriate.

That said, whatever you decide, I would advise telling your manager. It is probably "nothing", in that it doesn't seem likely to be cancer based on what they have previously told you. But in the worst case scenario, cancer is a disability in law from day 1, and so telling them would provide some limited protection even on the basis that it "might be". But it is entirely your decision, and you don't need to say anything if you can legitimately manage your time off without problems.

Thanks All, I have a call with my manager tomorrow so I think I’ll just mention I have a doctor’s appointment and ask her what I should do, and offer to just make up the time (show how enthusiastic I am).

Cancer is only an automatic disability from diagnosis though, not as a result of symptoms or testing, so there’s no legal protection for OP at this point!

Personally I would use the flexi time or book AL in probation. I hope it’s something they can sort quickly OP - I have had a lump for years that’s just a fatty lump, you can see it but I never removed it as it’s only a cosmetic issue!

@MrsPinkCock thanks. Mine is a ductal adenoma apparently- a rare benign tumour that doesn’t usually grow.

My manager is lovely and very approachable, fairly new to the company and despairs at the company rules so she may just say to make up the time.

When people say “use flexi time” do you mean just go without telling anyone and make it up later? Our hours are fairly informal so I don’t tell anyone if I have a late meeting, work long hours and shorter the next day to make up for it.

Depends what the flexitime or Time in Lieu arrangement is at your work place.

At mine we record additional hours worked, and the business reasons we've worked them, and then we officially record we are taking TOIL back eg. a half day back

DHs work has an official flexitime system where his hours are logged as he goes and he can acquire up to 1 day in any 1 month period and then it resets if he hasn't used them. But if he takes a day or half day off he has to record it a flexitime day on his calendar

Mine is very informal. We’re expected to occasionally attend meetings in the night or at weekends and colleagues then might start work later the next day. I know a lot of colleagues nip out to do school runs, attend schools events etc without informing anyone because we’re all quite senior in a big global company and we’re not watched over.
I asked a colleague today who’s been here 7 years. She said she just blocks out time in her calendar when she has an appointment and then makes up it when she needs to.

I can take my work phone with me as well so whilst I’m waiting I can answer emails if needed.

Thanks for everyone’s responses. I spoke to my manager but didn’t mention what the appointment was for. She was absolutely fine with it and said she expects us all to manage our own time and we don’t need to check with her.