Teachers - sick note half term

[halftermquestion]

Hello. I am suffering from stress at work.

my doctor has issued a sick note for 4 weeks which ends as half term starts. If I need a sick note for another 2 weeks, should this include half term? Or can it start the week we are back to school.

hope that makes sense.

If you remain unfit for work with same illness I would advise to make sure the Fit note dates run continuously and there’s no gap.
You don’t want to risk it counted as 2 separate periods of sickness absence for purposes of the absence management protocol.
I hope you feel better soon

That would count as 2 separate periods of sickness. If you want it only as the same period of illness you cannot have any breaks in your fit notes at all.

In some ways it doesn’t matter if it’s two separate instances as I’m leaving at the end of the academic year. Is it still better for it to be continuous with no gap? Thank you.

I have been in this situation before maternity leave… I was due to go off after the Easter break but had to be signed off. They had to do a new sick note for the two weeks over Easter. I think it works better for their insurance covering sick leave too from my understanding

Easter isn’t “half term”.

You need a continuous fit note.

At our school yes, you would need a note to cover the half term. Otherwise you will be marked as two separate absences and you won’t be paid for the holiday pay between the two terms. Ssp only for us lucky folk!

Do you mean May half term?

Easter holidays or May half term?

A 4 week sick note wouldn’t run until
May half term.

It should be continuous.

I've noticed a trend in the last couple of years of school parents referring to the Easter/Summer/Christmas school holidays as "half term" (which it isn't). This is the first time I've seen it from a teacher!

Your sick notes should run continuously until the point you are well enough to work. So yes include the holidays if you are still sick in that period.

Indeed. But she said half term. So I was clarifying.

Regardless of which week OP means wouldn’t the question/process still be the same?
A 4 week sick note wouldn’t end in may anyway it would be before

Yes, I just wrote half term as I was in a rush.

ok. So continuous.

and summer? As I’m not going back in September, if this carries on until the end of summer term, do I need one for the summer holidays? Hoping to go back in a few weeks, but just asking seeing as I’m here now.

You are likely to be needed to be signed off, otherwise you could risk being directed to work during the holiday period, as you are not deemed 'ill' if not signed off.

Do you the Easter Holidays? That's not half term.

Apparently it’s quicker to write ‘half term’ than it is ‘Easter’.

When do you intend to resign?
Are you intending to be off sick until you quit your job, and get paid for the summer holidays?
How long have you been off so far?

I think some people are getting unfairly hung up on the use of ‘half term’. Believe me, we school staff live in a state of counting down the days in half terms. It’s an easy mistake to make! OP, if you want to be paid for the summer holiday, your sick note will need to run until 31st August.

Yes, this ⬆️.

Has the HT involved Occupational Health?

Including in your username. 🤦🏻‍♀️

assuming you’re on burgundy book conditions, you’ll get paid until your resignations date which you’d have put as 31st august. You can’t be directed as a teacher to work over the holidays - your hours are done through the timetables day.
so a sick note could end the last day of term.

It might not make any difference to you whether it’s two periods of illness, but it will make a difference to the school budget if they can’t claim on the absence insurance until after three weeks continuous absence. It would reset the clock for the second period. Yes, it should be back to back fit notes.

@halftermquestion You mention you’re suffering from stress and have already been off for 4 weeks. Sounds like you’re expecting this might last for quite a number of weeks/months longer in which case this is severe stress. I hope your GP has put you on medication and referred you to MH services. Your GP will want to develop a plan between you for your treatment and return to work. If you are declared unfit for work for months your employer is going to refer you to OH and they will want to see evidence of treatment and what you are doing to help yourself.