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Please help re sick leave

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
mucker161
Posts: 24
Joined: 04 May 2010, 17:02
Gender: Male

Please help re sick leave

Post by mucker161 »

Hi im off on the sick having had an operation last thursday, im in a sling for 4weeks, rehabilitation/physio after that. I received a text message 2day from my manager saying to please call the office urgently. Having done so he told me that the atos healthcare co were getting in touch with me regarding my absence. My problem is this;

1) Why are they getting in contact with me if i have a doctors letter?

2) Why is my manager texting me, does he not have to wait till the end of my sick line to do so?

3) What are the implications of being off work for 4 or more weeks?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks
enzio
Posts: 379
Joined: 06 Mar 2010, 16:30
Gender: Male

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by enzio »

i am off sick to at the moment to dont worry about it he is just doing what he is told to do speak to atos but remember that your doctor is the only one that is looking out for your best interest dont go back till your doctor says you are ready hope that helps good luck
mucker161
Posts: 24
Joined: 04 May 2010, 17:02
Gender: Male

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by mucker161 »

enzio wrote:i am off sick to at the moment to dont worry about it he is just doing what he is told to do speak to atos but remember that your doctor is the only one that is looking out for your best interest dont go back till your doctor says you are ready hope that helps good luck
Cheers mate, just f***ing sick and tired of getting harrassed when im off sick, it happened two years ago when i broke my collar bone, manager said "sure you can use a high capacity trolley!", prick!

Cheers enzio, enjoy your recovery :nana
Stormproof
Posts: 6116
Joined: 07 Jul 2007, 21:03
Gender: Female

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by Stormproof »

I've been off sick for nearly 3 months and not once has a manager called me :shock: only ATOS have phoned to discuss my rehab plan for when I return next week.
So keep on moving, moving, moving your feet
Keep on shuf-shuf-shuffling to this ghost dance beat
Just keep on walking down never ending streets


Illegitimi non carborundum
chuckychucks
Posts: 97
Joined: 18 Jul 2009, 15:58
Gender: Male

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by chuckychucks »

delete
Last edited by chuckychucks on 10 Aug 2013, 16:17, edited 1 time in total.
mucker161
Posts: 24
Joined: 04 May 2010, 17:02
Gender: Male

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by mucker161 »

Stormproof wrote:I've been off sick for nearly 3 months and not once has a manager called me :shock: only ATOS have phoned to discuss my rehab plan for when I return next week.
Really??? well surgeon says ill not be back to work til end january at least, will that ATOS crowd not send me back sooner??? :nervous
Stormproof
Posts: 6116
Joined: 07 Jul 2007, 21:03
Gender: Female

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by Stormproof »

I give ATOS their due they have'nt tried pushing me back to work too soon. Not that they could because my Sick Note does'nt run out until next week. They have come up with a structured rehab plan for the next 5/6 weeks, just hope management stick to it this time.
So keep on moving, moving, moving your feet
Keep on shuf-shuf-shuffling to this ghost dance beat
Just keep on walking down never ending streets


Illegitimi non carborundum
mucker161
Posts: 24
Joined: 04 May 2010, 17:02
Gender: Male

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by mucker161 »

Stormproof wrote:I give ATOS their due they have'nt tried pushing me back to work too soon. Not that they could because my Sick Note does'nt run out until next week. They have come up with a structured rehab plan for the next 5/6 weeks, just hope management stick to it this time.
COOL! sounds good, think id better put my feet up then and enjoy the festive season :dance

Thanks for your advice and merry christmas!
TeeferTiger
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 2783
Joined: 22 Dec 2008, 13:56
Gender: Female
Location: Welsh Wales

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by TeeferTiger »

I've got to go to my local MC again next Monday to see an ATOS Doctor. Don't really see the point if I haven't had my MRI scan results yet. My Dr won't allow me to go back until I've had a diagnosis and treatment. I'm signed off until the end of this month.

I need to speak to HR too. I'm sure the DOM put me down as sick from 19th July and that was my 1 in 6. I'm not having them putting me onto half pay a week earlier than I should be! I wasn't officially off sick until the 25th July which would've been my first day back at work after my 1 in 6.

I've only had 1 meeting with my DOM and that was a month or two ago, before I'd had my MRI scan and they were trying to get me back to work on a rehab plan and back on full duties after 5 weeks. My Dr said no. I turned up for another meeting with my DOM, they didn't turn up, haven't apologised or acknowledged my phone call or email about it and hasn't contacted me since. I had to contact them to ask them to order train tickets for next week and that's it.

If I'm honest, I'm sort of looking forward to and dreading going back to work at the same time. I know the others in the office will have been slagging me off for being off so long, they don't really want me there anyway because I'm not "a local"! I'm just looking forward to getting out of the house and earning some proper money with the overtime I've missed. And I need to lose weight for the big event next year!! :Very Happy
Does this rag smell of chloroform to you?
noggin1969
Posts: 1321
Joined: 13 Oct 2009, 17:28
Gender: Male

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by noggin1969 »

One
Last edited by noggin1969 on 06 Feb 2024, 17:01, edited 2 times in total.
fishtank
Posts: 19732
Joined: 28 Sep 2007, 17:22
Gender: Male

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by fishtank »

Aprilaydee wrote: I need to speak to HR too. I'm sure the DOM put me down as sick from 19th July and that was my 1 in 6. I'm not having them putting me onto half pay a week earlier than I should be! I wasn't officially off sick until the 25th July which would've been my first day back at work after my 1 in 6.
That's an interesting one April...let us know how you get on with that,
I know that your day off is normally counted in your total sick days but if you didn't phone in sick until after your week off there's no way they can throw that in as well.
good times, bad times you know I've had my share
TeeferTiger
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 2783
Joined: 22 Dec 2008, 13:56
Gender: Female
Location: Welsh Wales

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by TeeferTiger »

fishtank wrote:
Aprilaydee wrote: I need to speak to HR too. I'm sure the DOM put me down as sick from 19th July and that was my 1 in 6. I'm not having them putting me onto half pay a week earlier than I should be! I wasn't officially off sick until the 25th July which would've been my first day back at work after my 1 in 6.
That's an interesting one April...let us know how you get on with that,
I know that your day off is normally counted in your total sick days but if you didn't phone in sick until after your week off there's no way they can throw that in as well.
I was going to phone them today but thought phoning them on the day the payslips are generally received, or on pay day, would be a silly idea.
Does this rag smell of chloroform to you?
coxie
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 1336
Joined: 09 Oct 2009, 14:57
Gender: Male

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by coxie »

I always found ATOS alright to deal with if your really ill they don't usually force you back, they can't force you anyway you go to work when you see fit. When I was off I was planning to go back the following week and spoke to ATOS they suggested I had 2 more weeks off then return to do 3 weeks light duties, quality!
DAF85
Posts: 82
Joined: 23 Oct 2010, 19:52
Gender: Male

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by DAF85 »

mucker161 wrote:Hi im off on the sick having had an operation last thursday, im in a sling for 4weeks, rehabilitation/physio after that. I received a text message 2day from my manager saying to please call the office urgently. Having done so he told me that the atos healthcare co were getting in touch with me regarding my absence. My problem is this;

1) Why are they getting in contact with me if i have a doctors letter?

2) Why is my manager texting me, does he not have to wait till the end of my sick line to do so?

3) What are the implications of being off work for 4 or more weeks?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks
Your manager :-

can attempt to contact you while you are off - normally it starts with a "first day off letter" to be followed up by weekly letters or telephone calls. If you do not want telephone contact - tell him, but ensure you keep him in the loop as to how you are progressing.

cannot arrange an ATOS appointment for you without your express direct consent. If he has done so tell the ATOS rep at the outset that you have not consented to an appointment being made. The ATOS rep will terminate the appointment and refer the issue back to your manager. If it is a telephone appointment you will be called first by ATOS booking line - tell them that you have not consented to an appointment and they will again refer it back.

You can also tell ATOS not to pass any information back to RM (covered by Data Protection Act)- which then makes a total mockery of the ATOS system.

If you are off for 4 weeks or 10 or however long you will possibly trigger a stage warning (depending on your managers mood - it is his decision whether to issue a warning or not). Info on the stage warning process is documented on this site somewhere - but make sure you are fit to go back to work even if you are on an agreed phased return on light duties.

Make sure you get a copy of any plans put forward by ATOS (if you have accepted an appointment) ATOS have recently changed their policy and now supply a copy of all reports to the "patient" directly (if you request at the time of the appointment) wheras previously everything went direct to the referring manager. If you are concerned about a phased return plan - discuss it with your own GP/Specialist before agreeing to it.
TeeferTiger
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 2783
Joined: 22 Dec 2008, 13:56
Gender: Female
Location: Welsh Wales

Re: Please help re sick leave

Post by TeeferTiger »

My DOM reckons that I've been off sick since the 19th. Informed her that it was my 1 in 6 as I attended my OH's graduation on the 20th which was a Wednesday.
Does this rag smell of chloroform to you?