Sick Absence "Meeting"

[magicw]

I have been off sick since last Tuesday. I got a Doctors note covering me for 2 weeks on Thursday which I gave to my line manager.

Since last Tuesday he has on average been ringing or texting me up to six times a day for a "progress report"
Today he tells me as I ve been off a week I need to attend the DLO for an "absence meeting"
I asked him if this was a staying in contact meeting or something else. He wasn't exactly clear. I told him if it was a contact meeting I was happy for him to phone me back on my landline. or even attend my home address ( I feel he thinks I ve gone somewhere and absented myself from the workplace) which is not the case.

He then said I d have to come in to the DLO later in the week for the "absence meeting".

My Understanding is if you are off long term sick ( over two weeks/ I am not) that these meetings can be held as Contact Meetings, but surely his level of Contact and demands at the moment are bordering on Harrassment.

Does he have the right to demand I attend the DLO after only 5 days sick when I ve got a Doctors note covering me for 10 Days.

I am quite happy for him to contact me on my home landline, and even on just one occasion attend my home address, but I m not going to the DLO.
The other issue was he wants to refer me to ATOS. Surely again this is the first and only time I have had off with this complaint and I don't anticpate it being on going.
Doesn't there have to be an on going medical problem for an ATOS referral ?

[BarnsleyLackey]

Bordering? Have a look out the window, make sure he's not parked at the top of your street.

[k979aaa]

Tell him to put it in writing and confirm the due dates and that you did contact them on the due dates but the new conduct code don't look good for us all.

[meercat]

Last time I heard ATOS referrals could only be made with your consent. Even if I was off for 6months I wouldn't agree to a referral with them, I'd follow my doctors advice end of.

You are feeling harassed by the level of contact and that sounds normal as it is beyond acceptable. Tell them straight up if it doesn't stop you will put in a grievance. Contact once per week as a catch-up is reasonable. You are being intimidated and harassed.

I don't know about absence meetings or your responsibility to attend them, maybe someone else knows.

[magicw]

Bordering? Have a look out the window, make sure he's not parked at the top of your street.

You can joke. We are that stretched ( which is probably in fairness why he's being this way ( although I ve even had him come to me when I m working on my frame and ask me to hand deliver letters to colleagues who are sick on my route. 3 days in a row for one guy).

On Saturday he did the collection from the Box across the road from my house. I could see him leering across the road, so I made a big point of making sure he could see me at home. If they hadn't changed the laws on loose dogs I d have been tempted.

[coxie]

28 days is the guideline for a face to face meeting according to the new attendance procedure. Tell him this, he is trying to pressure you into returning. He is harassing you. Regular contact means maybe phone them every couple of days maybe. Don't let him do this to you. As long as you're not going to have longer off than planned then you have no reason to go to a meeting and they cannot make you

[magicw]

So despite telling my Line manager I was happy to have regular contact through phone on my land line or mobile, and having read the Attendance Agreement I didn't believe that he was warranted in asking me to attend the DLO until my absence was long term i.e Over 14 days.

Any how at least signing for the special will prove to him that I am at home and not off Galivanting about on my 10 day sick note!
I rang and confirmed that contrary to my belief that he was acting outside of the agreement I would attend his meeting tomorrow morning ( I ll have been off 8 days at that point) and have had over 20 contacts via text or phone, during that period. And now a Special Delivery asking for a meeting in person at my work place.

He assures me that the DSM and Area Attendance manager support his actions. Hmmm!!!! I think I will take my rep with me and screen grabs of all the text messages I have received from him.

[coxie]

Doesn't matter if they support his actions he is wrong they shouldn't start asking you for a netting until 28 days. Don't how to pressure.

[meercat]

Take it further magicw, put in a grievance.

Next time he tries this with someone they could be off for stress or some other mental illness and that kind of harassment could put someone over the edge. Don't allow him to do this again!

[Greenbaum]

I had a similar thing. The DOM called me in for a 'risk assessment'. They go through a list of things you can and can't do, such as working at a desk, lifting boxes etc. then find you something you can do instead of being off sick cause you can't do your duty. Apparently it's a RM initiative to cut down on sick pay. It's actually a way to harass you. We had a guy told he could work evenings at a mail centre, which forced him to return on his duty early. The Union Go along with it too.

[magicw]

I get this if I was long term sick! but I ve been off 8 days and have a doctors note for 10. I wont let my line manager carry out an assessment of what I can and cant do.
I will just politely remind I have a legal document from a medical professional that states I am sick.

[coxie]

Exactly mate all this is supposed to be done for long term, they are supposed to do what they are doing but not until you have been absent for 28 days. That is what the procedure states so tell them as it's not a planned long term sick there's no need for them to do this.