Signed off sick

[OopsNoHoliday]

I have injured my legs and the doctor gave me a Fit Note that signs me off work for four weeks. Clearly I cannot drive and my office is not accessible at all, so there’s no way I can get to office but 99% of my job can be done wfh. It’s an office job and there is literally no one who can cover my work. I kept on top of the basics whilst in hospital and I think my employer would agree that I should work if I can.

The problem is I’m on strong pain meds and keep falling asleep and I need breaks every hour for physio.

It is also a 15 min round trip to the toilet as it’s slow getting there on my zimmer.

I could ask HR if I can continue doing my job with adjustments and flexibility - would that be ok?

Why? Just follow the doctors orders and dont work for 4 weeks.

Yes that’s fine! It’s generous of you to offer to work whilst you are recovering. Just don’t offer to do too much until your on the mend.

You need to focus on getting better. Please do that.

I would worry that you’ll make errors in your work if you are on such high dosage of pain meds.

You’re ill. Your doctors says you’re too unwell to work. You need to listen to your doctor because they don’t just sign people off on request.

The problem is I’m on strong pain meds and keep falling asleep and I need breaks every hour for physio

You can't possibly work at the moment. Follow your doctors advice. Rest, recover and forget about work. Its not your problem

How will you be able to do your work properly if your pain meds mean you keep falling asleep?
And in between that, physio and the toilet breaks how much of the day will you have?
If you are signed off you should go with that, get better and your employers will have to cope.

There’s absolutely no one to cover me and my job is critical - I have deadlines that actually cannot be missed. Just wanted to hear it’s legal to work during a certified sick period, and ok to ask for adjustments instead.

I think whilst you are ill enough to be staying in hospital, you should forget about work.
Once you are well enough to be at home, but the mobility is still an issue, sure, go for it. But ill enough to be needing medical care isnt realky fit for work, is it?
Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Just take the time off sick. No point in struggling and then you won't be rested enough when you do return to work. It would be unwise to carry on wfh under the circumstances you describe.

Only if the fit note says it. Your company is foolish to have only one person who can do critical work. Is it life or death work? If not then it’s not worth risking your health for.

This is your employers problem to solve. Due to your medication, you’re not fit to work.

No you shouldn't be working in those circumstances. What happens when you're on annual leave?

You need to rest and recover. What your employers do to cover your workload is down to them.

You should not be working. If your job is so critical they will find a way to do it. You should be resting.

Not your problem that no-one else can do it. Maybe your bosses will arrange for cover. If you are doing critical work, in pain and on strong meds you are likely to make a mistake. If you do you will take the blame not them.

No offence but this kind of statement makes me
laigh because it’s not true. If you dropped dead tomorrow they’d find a way to cover you. Let them find that solution now.

Their lack of planning for these events does not constitute your emergency.

You won't heal as fast if you're pushing yourself beyond your limits.

That is not your problem. Unless you own the business.

It’s fine. I had a hysterectomy a few year ago and was acrobatically given a sick note for 6 weeks. School and took me into summer holidays.

After 3 weeks I was fine to sit at my desk (not classroom based but do work face to face with pupils) but not move around much (or fast!) or be knocked into.

My employer agreed I could return for desk based work so I could complete all outstanding paperwork before term ended and not be face to face. Also agreed I could have breaks when I needed and go home if I was tired.

They are fit notes and not sick notes nowadays so should state what you are not fit for and your employer shouldn’t be making you do these tasks during that time.

Of some WFH with adjustments is possible and that’s what you want to do then discuss with your employer (they may want OH involved)

Depending on the pain meds, you might actually be compromising the work. You can’t usually sign anything legal while on morphine, for instance, although there are some exceptions. (I found this out totally by accident some years back when I was on strong meds). Ditto Ketamine.

I’m with the others. You’ve been signed off. You are sleepy from the pain meds and having to to physio exercises hourly, which I’m betting increase the pain. You might be able to wfh for the last week as things improve but don’t do so now.

If you decide to do so, check the employment law about it because if you make a mistake then as others have said, you will likely take the blame. However, it would be a legal minefield, especially when the pain meds are taken into account.

Get well soon.

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/getting-a-fit-note/

Thats not your problem. Thats your employers problem and something they need to address and certainly you need to address on your return. Realistically noone is indispensable and your work would get done, it would just inconvenience them.

Your GP has said your unfit for work. How can you possibly expect to perform doped up on painkillers and stopping every hour.

You're creating a rod for your own back by working when you've been signed off. Any mistake you make, your employer won't have your back, you need to protect yourself first.

The Fitnote is a legally binding document so please don't be so daft and logoff from your work computer and rest.

If you dropped dead tomorrow, they would replace you and the work would get done. Just because the work is important doesn’t make it critical , what is critical is making a proper recovery.

What would they have done if you'd have been killed instead?

they can do that.

you need to eat, sleep, recover.

Sometime when you’re feeling important;
Sometime when your ego ‘s in bloom;
Sometime when you take it for granted,
You’re the best qualified in the room:
Sometime when you feel that your going,
Would leave an unfillable hole,
Just follow these simple instructions,
And see how they humble your soul.
Take a bucket and fill it with water,
Put your hand in it up to the wrist,
Pull it out and the hole that’s remaining,
Is a measure of how much you’ll be missed.
You can splash all you wish when you enter,
You may stir up the water galore,
But stop, and you’ll find that in no time,
It looks quite the same as before.
The moral of this quaint example,
Is to do just the best that you can,
Be proud of yourself but remember,
There’s no indispensable man.