Illness means no driving, grounds to be off work sick?
Discussion
Can you help PH employment experts?
Friend of mine is finding it very hard to drive due to a physical injury, which could take weeks to get better.
Had a chat with her manager today, explained she's going to see her doctor later this week, and see what they recommend. (She hasn't had time off work yet)
Within minutes she was called into a meeting with HR and told she couldn't work from home and being unable to drive was no grounds to be off ill and she would have to get public transport.
Bit of an error being so honest, if the company are going to get litigious so quickly.
Fine if she didn't live in the middle of nowhere and there is no public transport.
I can see both sides here, if you can work it's your responsibility to get to the office, car or not, but at the same time if it were a broken leg and she was on crutches Im not sure many companies would expect a 90 minute public transport slog.
It's carpel tunnel syndrome by the way, affecting her right hand.
Cynical me says most people would have been to the GP by now and been signed off as unable to operate a computer especially as her workplace has a 80% net income protection policy in place for all staff.
Honest me says soldier on and do what you can, and push comes to shove hand in your notice or move.
Over to you PH... Thoughts?
Friend of mine is finding it very hard to drive due to a physical injury, which could take weeks to get better.
Had a chat with her manager today, explained she's going to see her doctor later this week, and see what they recommend. (She hasn't had time off work yet)
Within minutes she was called into a meeting with HR and told she couldn't work from home and being unable to drive was no grounds to be off ill and she would have to get public transport.
Bit of an error being so honest, if the company are going to get litigious so quickly.
Fine if she didn't live in the middle of nowhere and there is no public transport.
I can see both sides here, if you can work it's your responsibility to get to the office, car or not, but at the same time if it were a broken leg and she was on crutches Im not sure many companies would expect a 90 minute public transport slog.
It's carpel tunnel syndrome by the way, affecting her right hand.
Cynical me says most people would have been to the GP by now and been signed off as unable to operate a computer especially as her workplace has a 80% net income protection policy in place for all staff.
Honest me says soldier on and do what you can, and push comes to shove hand in your notice or move.
Over to you PH... Thoughts?
Is her Doctor aware that she operates a computer all day ?
I imagine she is quite disappointed with that attitude from her company, suspect her best route is to speak to her manager again and find out from them if there is any possibility to work from home.
I would guess that a week of complete rest is going to help recovery quicker than continuing to work.
She could of course go back to the doctor and have it re assessed, who knows it may have got worse....
I suppose the main question here is, is she able to perform her work duties if she managed to get there?
Not being able to drive is not a reason to be off work as it is an employees responsibility to get to work but if she's unable to operate a computer when this is her job and there is no option for reduced responsibilities she will need to get signed off.
Not being able to drive is not a reason to be off work as it is an employees responsibility to get to work but if she's unable to operate a computer when this is her job and there is no option for reduced responsibilities she will need to get signed off.
I would expect that the company would be more worried that she might seek compensation for her RSI.
I was admitted to hospital for a week and had a further week at home.I followed procedure by calling work every day until I had a sicknote.I am now facing a disciplinary hearing.I will be leaving as soon as I am able.
Look after your people or they will look after themselves
I was admitted to hospital for a week and had a further week at home.I followed procedure by calling work every day until I had a sicknote.I am now facing a disciplinary hearing.I will be leaving as soon as I am able.
Look after your people or they will look after themselves
Understood about being able to perform duties, she will have to wait and see what the doctor says. Hasn't seen one yet, was a nurse practitioner at a walk in clinic on Saturday.
Absolutly right she wasn't impressed with that reaction, I guess they may indeed be worried about an rsi claim.
She is currently contracted to work from home one day a week and they've made it very clear there is no hope
Of an extension of this (it was hard work to negotiate that day, she was full time work at home
But they changed her contract)
Doctor may well say "no computers till you're recovered" so then there's no argument from work really.
Will update later this when when she's seen the quack.
Thanks for the advice!
Absolutly right she wasn't impressed with that reaction, I guess they may indeed be worried about an rsi claim.
She is currently contracted to work from home one day a week and they've made it very clear there is no hope
Of an extension of this (it was hard work to negotiate that day, she was full time work at home
But they changed her contract)
Doctor may well say "no computers till you're recovered" so then there's no argument from work really.
Will update later this when when she's seen the quack.
Thanks for the advice!
ILoveMondeo said:
Had a chat with her manager today, explained she's going to see her doctor later this week, and see what they recommend. (She hasn't had time off work yet)
Within minutes she was called into a meeting with HR and told she couldn't work from home and being unable to drive was no grounds to be off ill and she would have to get public transport.
This becomes a more intense situation as time progresses.Within minutes she was called into a meeting with HR and told she couldn't work from home and being unable to drive was no grounds to be off ill and she would have to get public transport.
How did she get to work today? Can anyone else get her to work?
I see above it may be RSI caused by work. Until she has seen the GP it is difficult to address the situation.
Jasandjules said:
This becomes a more intense situation as time progresses.
How did she get to work today? Can anyone else get her to work?
I see above it may be RSI caused by work. Until she has seen the GP it is difficult to address the situation.
Understood, she's booking an appointment ASAP!How did she get to work today? Can anyone else get her to work?
I see above it may be RSI caused by work. Until she has seen the GP it is difficult to address the situation.
She's still driving but it's not easy and hand is showing no signs of getting any better at the moment.
Has she any other way to get to and from work?
IF her role requires the use of the hand and she is therefore medically unable to do so, I would imagine she will be signed off as unfit for that role. It may be her employer will suggest alternatives, but I rather suspect they will simply have her off sick for insurance purposes.
IF her role requires the use of the hand and she is therefore medically unable to do so, I would imagine she will be signed off as unfit for that role. It may be her employer will suggest alternatives, but I rather suspect they will simply have her off sick for insurance purposes.
Jasandjules said:
Has she any other way to get to and from work?
IF her role requires the use of the hand and she is therefore medically unable to do so, I would imagine she will be signed off as unfit for that role. It may be her employer will suggest alternatives, but I rather suspect they will simply have her off sick for insurance purposes.
Would involve a twenty quid taxi, ten pound train journey and a fiver on the bus each day. Not viable for £20k a year. IF her role requires the use of the hand and she is therefore medically unable to do so, I would imagine she will be signed off as unfit for that role. It may be her employer will suggest alternatives, but I rather suspect they will simply have her off sick for insurance purposes.
I've a funny feelining the doctor will say no computers anyway, I've worked with someone who had carpel tunnel on a really and way and they were off work for months with surgery.
I couldn't drive for ~6 weeks of work last year. I walked 3 miles then got a bus followed by another walk, or walked 2 miles to get a train, then a bus and another walk.
That said I got the feeling that the doctor would have happily signed me off the duration, they seemed a bit boggled by someone actually trying to work.
That said I got the feeling that the doctor would have happily signed me off the duration, they seemed a bit boggled by someone actually trying to work.
not quite sure how a nurse practitioner works from home one day a week unless there's some ring-fenced admin/indirect clinical function undertaken. clue is in the job title really - "practitioner" - but fair play for negotiating that, whatever the rationale.
would have thought that there would be many adaptations that the employer could employ in order to ensure a continued presence in the workplace which suggests that there should be a continued attendance?
paul
would have thought that there would be many adaptations that the employer could employ in order to ensure a continued presence in the workplace which suggests that there should be a continued attendance?
paul
paulmakin said:
not quite sure how a nurse practitioner works from home one day a week unless there's some ring-fenced admin/indirect clinical function undertaken. clue is in the job title really - "practitioner" - but fair play for negotiating that, whatever the rationale.
would have thought that there would be many adaptations that the employer could employ in order to ensure a continued presence in the workplace which suggests that there should be a continued attendance?
paul
She went to SEE a nurse practitioner, she isn't one! (something to do with insurance is her job, driving a desk all day).would have thought that there would be many adaptations that the employer could employ in order to ensure a continued presence in the workplace which suggests that there should be a continued attendance?
paul
She' Booked to see the doctor on Thursday. Will update later this week.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff