Off work and going back

[Carol52]

Hi going back to work after 5 weeks of fractured ribs and chest infection. My manager said a staggered return however on Friday she said we will face a risk assessment on Monday and just be careful. Does that mean straight back in to full days as she never mentioned it on Friday. Never had time off and returned after a long time off. I am still in pain and tired

Are you actually fit to return? Have you been assessed by a medical professional and judged fit for work? Have you been referred to occupational health?

No to both I work in a school. My fit note ran out last Friday. The last note from 2 weeks ago said unfit for work.
I am abit upset because she did say to me the week before we will stagger you back to first week. Now does that mean on the work assessment she will say shorter hours or should that have been said on Friday. I am confused. I don't know whether to say something in the meeting or just try to keep going

Not necessarily. You could get a fitnote for phased hours or duties.

In the circumstances you describe I would not want you back in my workplace unless and until a doctor had confirmed you were fit to be so. But I see it's a school, where norms around this kind of thing are buggered.

Your health comes first. Email and ask for clarification of what your manager means. Request referral to occupational health. If you don't feel you're fit for work yet, and it doesn't sound like you do, book another GP appointment asap to discuss.

I imagine the risk assessment is to determine all of this. They need to do a proper, quite in depth conversation to determine what you need, before they decide what they can give you and what they should expect from you. They won't decide anything until they have done this.

It’s not for your manager to decide if you are well enough to work full time immediately or would benefit from a “phased return” (working part time). That’s for you, your GP and occupational health. That may be what the risk assessment is for.

If you don’t feel well enough to start back full time then put in a request to your GP for a follow on fit note for a phased return.

And given you have been off for 4/5 weeks it is normal to start with a back to work meeting to assess any support needs and risk.

You really should have agreed a phased return with your manager before you start back so you all know exactly what hours you'll be there and what tasks you'll do.

You'll need to just bring it up in your return to work meeting and risk assessment on Monday and take it from there. Have a good idea exactly what you can and can't manage

The staggered return was in a telephone call. However on Friday it was a text asking if I was coming back next week . I said yes although I am in some pain still and still having trouble sleeping very well. She said we will keep an eye on you see what duties I can do.

Really annoyed .
I have give back to work supposedly half days oh no full days absolutely shattered . I sound like I am getting another chest infection. My manager did not even give me a risk assessment due to my fractured ribs.
I did not even get a lunch break.
So annoyed I wish I had taken a further week off sick.

Did she do a return to work interview?

Email her and remind her that you discussed a phased return

You could ask gp to fitnote your part time hours for a week or so. If you weren't ready to go back , why did you? Tbh ribs should be recovered by now, so perhaps get rechecked.

If you aren't ready to go back yet, don't go back. Yes, your manager should advocate for and support you, and it sucks that she hasn't, but you have to be the foremost defender of your own health because it matters more to you than it does to anyone else.

No not even a return to work chat.
I have struggled at work apologising to parent etc on the phone ad I coughing and. Struggling to speak. I feel so uncslued . I just feel the font care . I

but you have to be the foremost defender of your own health because it matters more to you than it does to anyone else.

This^
Why did you not say this morning you needed a phased return and couldn't do full days?
You need to advocate for your own health needs as your manager isn't looking out for you, and be clear about what you can and cannot manage.

Thank you I am not sure what I should say tomorrow. Any advice

I would ask to meet your manager right away in the morning. Do not start work until you've met with her.

Explain you're still in a lot of pain and you really struggled yesterday which has made your pain worse. Tell her you don't feel you can carry on and need to work shorter days on a phased return over the next 2 or 3 weeks. Remind her that this had been discussed previously but not implemented yet.

If she is not accommodating you'll just need to go back to your GP and either get a Fit note detailing a phased return, or else signed off again.

Good luck

Thanks I will have a word tomorrow. The problem is we are already short staffed I. The office so it will not go down well

Be aware they can choose not to pay your normal hours during a phased return. You might be best speaking to gp first.

Thank. I did not know that

Well gone to work . I went in and said I had really struggled and felt awful. Still not work assessment or return to work.
Manager said we will put you off reception And sit other end not so busy.
Then I found out my manager who had a chest infection and was off for 3 weeks and came back and did a week of half days when I was still ill. Is still doing a couple of half days and going at lunch today. I thought what a bloody cheek

What do you actually want? To do half days? Doing what? To take some more days completely off? You've got to use your words here.

Perhaps they have the relevant fit-note or oh recommendation. You can't expect them to implement reduced hours on your say-so.

I was told I would come back staggered hours and a back to work interview had neither. I just feel a bit out on