Sick leave for stress

[SantaClawssss]

I got myself signed off for work related stress, initially for two weeks but I cannot face the thought of going back.

I don’t want to out myself so can’t give too many details but I’ve been struggling with a position I took up (secondment) and I’m basically being used to ‘plug a gap’ and doing the job of three people rather than my manager appointing new people. I raised it very early on that i was struggling with the amount of work I was now being expected to do, that I was worried that soon im going to start missing deadlines etc as I cannot possibly do it all. I’m expected to take calls from 6am which is outside of my working hours and it’s really
effecting my home life. I have two young children and I’m always rushing around telling them to be quiet whilst I take
work calls.

my manager has also mentioned that later on inthe year my original job role is likely to be part of a restructure, drop in hours, pay and autonomy. I feel like I need to try and hang this out until then as I might get redundancy. I’m thinking wtf am I working myself to the ground and ruining my mental health when my job is at risk anyway!

any advice in this situation? I’m tempted to stay signed off but worry how this will
looK to future employers, I’m dreading going back, I know the workload will
still be there and she will make
life tricky for me

I would not be answering phones outside of work hours for a start. Any conversations about doing that I would be following ip with an email. Any conversations would be followed up with an email. And it is only march so you really need to start looking for a new job for your own health.

If it is as bad as you describe take action and start putting your boundaries in place. While you are off gather some notes that show when you’ve been expected to take calls outside of normal work hours, and showing the workload and range of tasks currently expected. You make a formal complaint.

Request an occupational health referral for work stress. Ensure your doctor recommends that when you go back in to the workplace you are on a phased return not straight back to full time, they can write that on the fit note. The fit note can also say you need defined work hours you must not be expected to work at 6am.

I cannot recommend Ablefutures
highly enough. It’s free (Government funded) coaching around workplace MH issues. I’d recommended it to several colleagues as part of my role and then ensured a situation similar to you @SantaClawssss
I found it affirming, supportive and it gave me the tools to get out!
Also contact your union/ ACAS and log everything. Get in writing the direction to take calls at 6am. Keep a log. I have a burn book of grievances against my ex employer- dated emails contemporaneous conversation etc. They’re a charity but if they’d played much dirtier I’d have taken it straight to my union or a shl.

Thank you so much, I’ve just made an application for support. I feel very much on my own with this, I do have a supportive husband but outside help might just get me through this

Oh sweetheart, please don't go back until you're actually ready, that sick note exists to protect you and your mental health matters more than how it looks. Two weeks is nothing in the grand scheme of a career and future employers won't see the detail, just a gap if anything. You're doing three jobs, taking calls at 6am with little ones around, and your reward might be redundancy anyway? No wonder you're burnt out. Use this time to rest and think clearly. If redundancy is coming, being off sick doesn't affect your entitlement and honestly, protecting yourself now is smart not weak. When you do go back, put everything in writing about the workload and unreasonable hours. You're not ruining anything love, you're surviving.

Thank you for your reply. I spoke to the doctor this morning and said I do not feel ready to go back next week and he made me feel even worse, asked what I was doing to improve the situation with work, what meetings have I had with my line manager, suggesting I am ‘running away’ from the problem, asked when I intend to go back - perhaps on paper these questions seem fair but he had no bedside manner and i came off the phone in tears . He wrote an extension for one week and wrote that I would be returning the following , didnt mention phased return. I going to call again Monday and try and speak to the original doctor who signed me off . I feel really on my own with this, just a bit of support would really help.
on a positive note I have updated my cv and applied for another job today, feels that’s all I can do .

Oh thats sounds rubbish OP. Im sorry the GP wasnt supportive.
I know its hard to get a GP appt but do try and see the more sympathetic one.
Tell them how thecstress is imoacting your health, not sleeping, racing heart , headaches, lack of focus, any physical symptons you have.
Can you ask for an.iccupational health assessment at work? That might be helpful?
Good luck with your job application