Can sick leave be forced?

[weakerthan]

My manager has told me I have to go off sick even though my doctors note says I am fine for indoor work. I've offered to change my hours and work them over more days in order to avoid a sick day but he won't have any of it. He is basically saying that indoor work is only available for posties on rehab building up to being back on full delivery, but my doctor hasn't been able to give me a recovery time yet (waiting for physio appointment) and therefore my problem could be ongoing.

Is there anything I can do to avoid sick leave?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

My manager has told me I have to go off sick even though my doctors note says I am fine for indoor work. I've offered to change my hours and work them over more days in order to avoid a sick day but he won't have any of it. He is basically saying that indoor work is only available for posties on rehab building up to being back on full delivery, but my doctor hasn't been able to give me a recovery time yet (waiting for physio appointment) and therefore my problem could be ongoing.

Is there anything I can do to avoid sick leave?

Yes

You have a Fit note - its tells the manager what you can and cannot do.

If he can't find you suitable work, or there is no work available in their estimation that you can do, then the fit note covers you for being off sick.

However, from a business point of view it makes no sense in them paying you to be sick at home if there is work available that you can do. Perhaps a call to the Union rep may help.

[jack]

My manager has told me I have to go off sick even though my doctors note says I am fine for indoor work. I've offered to change my hours and work them over more days in order to avoid a sick day but he won't have any of it. He is basically saying that indoor work is only available for posties on rehab building up to being back on full delivery, but my doctor hasn't been able to give me a recovery time yet (waiting for physio appointment) and therefore my problem could be ongoing.

Is there anything I can do to avoid sick leave?

I think it boils down to what kind of working relationship you have with your DOM. At our office there's been posties with ankle/knee injuries who have been given a couple of weeks indoor work, then on the other hand the posties who have found themselves on the wrong side of the DOM have been made to take time off when they have requested indoor work.

[aiden01]

My manager has told me I have to go off sick even though my doctors note says I am fine for indoor work. I've offered to change my hours and work them over more days in order to avoid a sick day but he won't have any of it. He is basically saying that indoor work is only available for posties on rehab building up to being back on full delivery, but my doctor hasn't been able to give me a recovery time yet (waiting for physio appointment) and therefore my problem could be ongoing.

Is there anything I can do to avoid sick leave?

ask for a referral to o.h assist.

[oldrope]

No you can not be forced off sick, if there is no work at your DO then ask to go to a MC it is your right to work and not your problem if your DO can't find you work.

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

No you can not be forced off sick, if there is no work at your DO then ask to go to a MC it is your right to work and not your problem if your DO can't find you work.

If the do can't find you work when you are not fit to do the duty you are employed for the Dom is perfectly entitled to insist on sick leave, on a longer term basis the equalities act may come into play but in the short term just because you are willing to do other work doesn't mean you won't incur sick absence

[aiden01]

No you can not be forced off sick, if there is no work at your DO then ask to go to a MC it is your right to work and not your problem if your DO can't find you work.

If the do can't find you work when you are not fit to do the duty you are employed for the Dom is perfectly entitled to insist on sick leave, on a longer term basis the equalities act may come into play but in the short term just because you are willing to do other work doesn't mean you won't incur sick absence

so they would rather pay you for being off sick rather than pay you for working very strange me/thinks. why then do they torture people when off sick

[weakerthan]

Thanks for your replies everyone, I did my best to get this sorted (involved the Union, even phoned the helpline and emailed justsayit), but it seems there's nothing I can do. Apparently it's to do with summer and the amount of mail which means Royal Mail aren't able to offer indoor work.

Seems crazy to me as they're having to pay someone else to cover my morning prep hours at least! You win some you lose some! Looks like I'm off sick for a while!

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

No you can not be forced off sick, if there is no work at your DO then ask to go to a MC it is your right to work and not your problem if your DO can't find you work.

If the do can't find you work when you are not fit to do the duty you are employed for the Dom is perfectly entitled to insist on sick leave, on a longer term basis the equalities act may come into play but in the short term just because you are willing to do other work doesn't mean you won't incur sick absence

so they would rather pay you for being off sick rather than pay you for working very strange me/thinks. why then do they torture people when off sick

not that strange, if they want you back to work they will hound you, if they are thinking about getting rid, they will let you accumulate sick leave to bump you through the stages quicker