Repercussions of being signed off with stress

[Heathwood]

Hi all,

My partner has been having a very difficult time at work lately (huge amount of pressure and internal politics to deal with). She's coped admirably and battled on, however, she's had to deal with a few things lately that's tipped her over the edge.

She's now barely sleeping or eating and is beginning to find it difficult to conduct herself as rationally as normal. She's very tearful and would almost certainly be signed off with stress for a week or two if she went to see her GP.

Personally, I'm not sure it would be such a bad idea if she was signed off, to give her the opportunity to recharge her batteries and recuperate a little. However, she is worried that getting signed off on stress could affect her current or future employment prospects. She has no history whatsoever of any sickness (1 or 2 days a year max) and has over 10 years with her employer.

Can anyone offer any advice on this?

[Soovy]

She's a woman. Therefore she is protected by law, and her employer will have to pay her a fkload of compo if they sack her. Given this, get her signed off.



If the person concerned was a bloke, then he would have no rights at all.


ery.


PS I have had four Stellas. This is not legal advice.

Edited by Soovy on Thursday 15th July 20:50

[adycav]

How is the career in counselling going Soovy?

[Soovy]

adycav said:

How is the career in counselling going Soovy?

fking great mate.

Since you ask.

Edited by Soovy on Thursday 15th July 20:56

[adycav]

I enjoyed your edit.

[Heathwood]

Thanks for that Soov.

Anyone on here that's not p!ssed?

[Munter]

Heathwood said:

Thanks for that Soov.

Anyone on here that's not p!ssed?

Well I've been drinking. But I wouldn't say pissed.

Anyway I'd suggest she tells her boss she'll have to see her GP if things do not let off for a bit. If thats already been done/the boss is a then just go direct to the GP and have a few weeks R&R (Rogering and Rubber).

[Heathwood]

Essentially, I guess what I want to know is, is taking a week off with stress any different to, say, a week off with the flu? Is mental illness viewed differently to coughs and colds by an employer (legally) and can this be detailed on any reference?

[Silver]

It depends on what industry she works in.

It shouldn't be this way, but in certain industries being signed off with stress is tantamount to career suicide, IMO. I've been in a similar situation and I pretended to have flu rather than admit I was suffering from stress so I could have some time away.

[Pommygranite]

She wants to get pregnant so she doesnt have to work. You wait she'll be talking family within a few weeks

[condor]

Heathwood said:

Essentially, I guess what I want to know is, is taking a week off with stress any different to, say, a week off with the flu? Is mental illness viewed differently to coughs and colds by an employer (legally) and can this be detailed on any reference?

She can self certificate herself for up to a week anyway, though for stress it's better to get a 2 week or longer sick note from her GP.
A few years ago I had a big problem with a new area manager, went off sick with stress for approx 6 weeks and then went back with a grievance hearing against the company for bullying and harrassment. Area manager in question was removed to another section and I was treated with respect (kid gloves) after that

I'd suggest she takes a few weeks off, but she needs to put a stop to who/whatever is the cause of her stress. A grievance letter to HR is the way to go.

[Munter]

condor said:

I'd suggest she takes a few weeks off, but she needs to put a stop to who/whatever is the cause of her stress. A grievance letter to HR is the way to go.

I would think it's like any other illness caused by the workplace. The company is responsible for ensuring that the workplace is not harmful to the employees health. I presume if they don't do anything to fix the "problem", they would be open to some form of legal action.

[Silver]

Munter said:

condor said:

I'd suggest she takes a few weeks off, but she needs to put a stop to who/whatever is the cause of her stress. A grievance letter to HR is the way to go.

I would think it's like any other illness caused by the workplace. The company is responsible for ensuring that the workplace is not harmful to the employees health. I presume if they don't do anything to fix the "problem", they would be open to some form of legal action.

Yes, but therein lies the problem, I think. In certain industries, taking legal action against your employer in that way would finish your career, IMO.

[Engineer1]

How a company responds to somebody going off sick with stress will depend on their attitude but something all are likely to consider is if there is any new cause of additional stress. Is there more work than normal? Has there been any changes made to working practices? Has she done the work well till now?

I had a colleague who went off sick with stress regular as clockwork, his in tray started getting full the workload picked up and within a month he would be off sick till the project was being wrapped up when he would walk back in and claim any praise going. He managed his reputation so well that after a short time unemployed (he quit) he has been head hunted by a competitor.

[lestag]

Heathwood said:

Thanks for that Soov.

Anyone on here that's not p!ssed?

That will be me sir!
I can only say that I have been a manager that inherited someone that showed similar signs, additionally used to walk into work hunched over, stomach churning. Hard to explain but, In that particular case they had been given to much job that was effectively research (loosely defined , lots of well lets try this, oops, that didn’t work , lets try another approach) and really they were a high performing person that expected their efforts to always result in success. The job they did for me met their needs and they blossomed , BUT with real help from HR and the surrounding team and external counselling.
Your partner needs to wave the help flag, needs support from the HR department (assuming there is one) obtain professional help (doctor, counselling), which if the company values her, will pay for initially. HR needs to work with her to find out what is causing the stress, what has changed etc.

At the end of the day no job is worth the state she appears to be in.

I can’t comment on the mental illness/flu illness thing as I am in NZ and here they are equal. Any good employer should treat it as sick leave.

[mph1977]

condor said:

Heathwood said:

Essentially, I guess what I want to know is, is taking a week off with stress any different to, say, a week off with the flu? Is mental illness viewed differently to coughs and colds by an employer (legally) and can this be detailed on any reference?

She can self certificate herself for up to a week anyway, though for stress it's better to get a 2 week or longer sick note from her GP.
A few years ago I had a big problem with a new area manager, went off sick with stress for approx 6 weeks and then went back with a grievance hearing against the company for bullying and harrassment. Area manager in question was removed to another section and I was treated with respect (kid gloves) after that

I'd suggest she takes a few weeks off, but she needs to put a stop to who/whatever is the cause of her stress. A grievance letter to HR is the way to go.

this is one of the few ways to get HR cacking themselves , even better is to be on meds for depression caused by the stress for over a year and then have the regional staff from your Professional Association bandying about mention of the Disability Discrimination Act ...

take advantage of the cards life deals you just don't get dizaei syndrome

[mph1977]

Silver said:

Munter said:

condor said:

I'd suggest she takes a few weeks off, but she needs to put a stop to who/whatever is the cause of her stress. A grievance letter to HR is the way to go.

I would think it's like any other illness caused by the workplace. The company is responsible for ensuring that the workplace is not harmful to the employees health. I presume if they don't do anything to fix the "problem", they would be open to some form of legal action.

Yes, but therein lies the problem, I think. In certain industries, taking legal action against your employer in that way would finish your career, IMO.

a grievance is emphatically NOT legal action, sometimes moving the supervisor sideways or a sidways / promotion move for the complainant is a very 'quiet' way of disposing of the problem ... especially if it keeps the unions / professional associations out of things - as they can do 'professional harassment' of businesses just as well as Plod+HMRC+TS ... tyiong the employer up in knots and of course you can't actually prove it;s related to the original grievance rather than just uber -keeness on the behalf of the reps / paid officers

[Soovy]

Silver said:

In certain industries, taking legal action against your employer in that way would finish your career.

This. 1000% this.

Edited by Soovy on Monday 19th July 11:56

[PetrolTed]

I don't understand this 'off with stress' stuff.

If your job is causing you that much stress then something needs sorting at work. Not attending work isn't going to solve the problem.

[hman]

Back injury.


Easiest way to get signed off for weeks without having any other symptoms other than "oooh me back" and "I cant pick that up/drive a car/ perform day to day tasks"

This is a lot better than going off sick through stress, which can lead to career suicide and makes her the easiest pick for redundancy measures.