Re: Sick notes

[pop1973]

I have been having a tough time with my recent pregancy.

Working p/t and finding it stressful as well. Working 4 out of 5 days.

1 day off last week due to my child being ill and took 1 day off myself last week due to morning sickness.

Took today off as I was really ill and have antenatal appointment in the week which I informed the office of last week. Told that I don't need to work anymore on Wed. either.

I have a week and half left to work my notice out.

I had fully intended to work tomorrow, told I don't need to now. Also the office are now asking will I be well enough to work on Thursday (I told them I am going to my appointment and won't be in). Planning on working Friday.

They are asking if I would be willing to take a doctors note for the rest of my notice period.

I have only been off officially sick myself for 1 day last week and 1 day this week. I don't need a sick note ?? I am also planning to go back in on Friday (was plannig on going in tomorrow but its been cancelled for me). What are my options ??

Need to be sure I am understanding you pop.

You have resigned, is that right, and are working your notice?

You had a day off last week because your child was ill. What kind of day off was it? Did you take it as annual leave, or unpaid emergency leave?

You had one day off sick yourself.

You are willing and able to work tomorrow, but have been told not to come in. You are able physically to work on Thurday but have an antenatal appointment to attend so won't be in. Antenatal appointments are not sick leave by the way. You are willing and able to work on Friday.

But your work is asking if you would 'take' a doctors note? How bizarre. Firstly, that is working on the assumption that a doctor would give you a note when you are fit for work, which they shouldn't. They are basically asking you to lie to your doctor as far as I can tell.

I would suggest you refuse to ask your doctor to sign you off as you are fit and well for work and will be in on Friday as planned. If they for some reason don't want you to come in for the rest of your notice period, they could tell you that, and just pay you as usual but ask you not to come in. Is there any reason you are aware of that they might not want you in work?

Hi, I took the day off last week for my child and notified them the day before that my little one was not well and that I wouldn't be in. I am not sure how they put it down.

I have resigned and have a week and a half to go. I have told them that I won't be getting a sick note as the doctor wouldn't give me one. I also told them that I assumed I had to have 5 working days off before I needed a note. I am not sure why they have cancelled today. I also don't get paid if I am sick or if I don't go into work, so I don't understand why they want me to get a sick not.

It would be better for me if they just told me to go now rather than trying to work out the rest of the time. I am not sure what they are up to.

Very strange. You are right that it would be normal not to need a sick note until you've been off for a week (calendar week, not 5 working days), and that is the requirement for SSP. If your employer was paying you over and above SSP for days you are off sick, they would be within their rights to request a sick note for any absence, but that doesn't apply in this case as you wouldn't get paid anyway.

When you say they've cancelled today, have they rearranged the day so that you will work it another day? Or could they in theory according to your contract tell you not to come in and not pay you? Is it a case of they tell you what days to do or not to do and you only get paid for ones they ask you to do?

Hi, well I have been told that Wednesdays are now cancelled. They are also pushing that I take the Friday off (as they feel it is stressful for me). They are now taking the fact about my appointment for Thursday and now apparently happy about this.
I have told them that I will be in on Friday, as I don't want them marking me off as sick. I think they want me to take sickness for the rest of the time and get a sick note, which I will not do.
If they tell me that I am not working on Friday then I will still go in and see HR as I want HR to know exactly what is happening and what I think they are trying to do. They seem to want to push me to go on sick leave. I am having the odd day and it is odd day off sick, I am quite happy to have worked Wednesdays (which they cancelled) and happy to come in and work Friday. I just don't understand what they want me to do ?

I am being forced in not going in on Friday as well. They want a meeting asap, so I have said Friday lunchtime would be ideal as they are aware that I would be in from 9am. They are trying to make out on Friday that I will be on the sick as I wouldn't be needed and that I would only be in to have the lunchtime meeting. They are trying to push me in a corner about sickness.

Be very clear that you are not sick, that you are not going to lie to a doctor to get a sick note, you are ready and willing to come to work as usual for the remainder of your notice period.

This is very strange, wonder why they are doing it. If you've only got a week and a half left especially - you'll be gone in no time anyway.

I have no idea, they are pushing me into a corner about this and I will tell HR this afternoon when I can get through, that I will be in on Friday to work and have the lunchtime appointment and will make it clear to them what has been going on.

I did explain to the office that I am suffering from sickness, but that it isn't constant and that some days I am find and some days I am not.

I don't know why they are trying to be funny about it.

Just a thought how about asking if the meeting could be held at whatever time your shift normally starts, then they can't say your off sick / haven't worked that day? cause yu can say that you are staying???

Had my meeting today and went in to work.

They have now told me that I should have given 3 months notice, even though I haven't had a contract yet. Also they are quite happy to realise me as soon as they can find a replacement, they don't know when that will happen.

They have also mentioned that they would be quite understanding if I am ill and just to see how each day comes.

I was all geared up to leave in a week and a half and am now told that I might not be able to, until they find a replacement !!!

Wasn't feeling great either, but went into work, so they couldn't force me on the sick. Don't know how I will manage next week, I am absolutely shattered and can't do this for much longer.

How much notice did you give?

pop they can't just decide in the middle of your notice period that actually you should have given 3 months notice.

If you have no contract or have had no other formal documentation outlining notice, you only have to give a week's notice.

How much notice did you give? As long as you weren't aware you had a 3 month notice period, I would advise you to notify them that you gave x weeks' notice and will be finishing on x day as advised in your letter of resignation (or whatever you said). Then finish on the day you said you would.

After I officially gave my notice they then said that I was verbally told that I had to give 3 months notice. I am still waiting for the contract which is meant to be coming to me in a few weeks time.

I have given them 3 weeks notice so far and have another week to work.

I am also going to the CAB to get some legal advice this week.

So hopefully this matter will get sorted out.

They can't tell you after you hand in your notice that your notice period is something different. Stick to the 4 weeks you've given them, they don't have a leg to stand on in terms of making you work any longer than that.