Work meeting about sick days

[KayleighMeek]

Hello all,

I have a meeting next week at work because I have now reached a trigger point for the sick days I have had off. I have had a few occasions of being off work but I wouldn't consider it to be excessive its only when I am not physically able to work I don't go in and sometimes I really shouldn't be there but struggle on anyways. My boss does understand this and have been really good but its the companies policy and I kind of understand but it all seems pointless to me and I don't really know what is going to come of it all. I am annoyed because I really work very hard and they have said there are no problems with my standard of work and I am thorough but its just these few sick days. I did get a bit snappy when I was being told but only because it is so frustrating I said next time I'm off I will just take 6 months off and be done with it instead of trying to work in ridiculous amounts of pain and they said I may get a formal warning I said thanks I will let my chronic condition that I have no control over know. Any one else had to have one of these pointless meetings? How did it go?
I am really not looking forward to being interrogated about my disease I don't tell people everything that is going on not even my boss but I am thinking this time I might just be brutally honest and tell them all the gory details. Sorry this is a bit of a rant but I am just so wound up about it because I try my best all the time when others have sick days when they have a hangover or a slightly sore throat raaaah!
Anyway I think that's enough now and sorry if I repeated myself in any of it but writing it down on the forum really helps.
Bit of an update on me as well still having problems with skin tags and possible fistula/abscess and I am still waiting to have an MRI to check out what is going on. I have been struggling eating and having lots of d that is waking me in the night now as well so feeling very tired. Joints have improved very slightly but I still can't walk great distances without it causing pain. But I have now been started on vitamin b12 which has helped the tiredness a bit now I just need a good nights sleep but I don't see that coming any time soon.

Thanks for reading x

 

[nogutsnoglory]

I have had a meeting with my boss about coming in late, leaving early and sick days but I said I couldn't help it and I can only do my best.

She allowed me to work later on days I felt better and do work from home. Maybe your boss can be flexible with you.

 

[Joonie]

Hi there, sorry you are having problems at work with 'sick days trigger points'. I had exactly the same problem in 2007 when I had been very very ill when I worked for a bank. Personally, I could of handled it better (I got very upset about the threat of a written warning) but if it happens again this is what I would do to stand up for myself a bit more:
I think you should not hold back on the gory details, spell out exactly how it affects you every day, and say you are only off when it's absolutely impossible to come into work only then do you call in sick.
Write down exactly what they say to you and ask them what they think they can do to be supportive.
Ask them do they know that IBD is classed as a disability in the UK and what reasonable adjustments to the sickness policy can they make for you?
Crohns & colitis uk have a leaflet for employers describing the issues people with IBD face, I would print a copy and give them this too.
Also if they offer to get occupational health involved I would accept that as they may be able to recommend some flexible working as NGNG has suggested (an excellent idea). Lastly don't let yourself get bullied, I refused to sign an 'action plan' to agree to improve my attendance - like we can do anything about it (I found this the most upsetting part) ?!
Lastly I also called the union rep who was very supportive and said they would represent me formally if it did get to a written warning stage. Do you have a union where you work?
Good luck and please let us know how you get on xx

 

[YJ120]

Hi Kayleigh,

Hope you're ok, like Joonie said above I'd tell them all the gory details so they truly have an insight into the kind of things you have to deal with. Also like Joonie said you will be covered under the Equality Act, which disability comes under and they have to by law make reasonable adjustments.

I do understand where you're at, I used to work for an awful employer and it felt like they didn't listen to me or believe anything I said. It was so frustrating to cope with on top of dealing with the illness!

Luckily you say your boss is quite good and he probably doesn't want to do this as much as you don't, but it has to be done as it's a formality and to ensure they are treating all staff in line with company policy.

Really hope it all goes ok for you.

Yvette x

 

[sickofcrohns]

Hi Kayleigh,

The other commenters here are giving good advice. I hope your workplace has become more reasonable. . .

I've written a lot about strategies I've used and continue to use in order to work around being sick in this blog post (near the end -- it's a long post -- I'm still not used to writing for the web). I hope that some of these tips will also work for you.

Best wishes!

 

[KayleighMeek]

Thanks everyone for the advice. They have offered me to take a work colleague or a union rep but I don't really want either if it starts to get more serious then I think I will just ask the meeting to be paused whilst I sort out something like that.
It would be hard to have more flexible work times as I need to have a qualified scientist around as I work in a lab and I have already come off 12 hour shifts as it was to much to cope with. I think I will just see how this meeting goes I really don't know what they could possibly suggest that would help.
I really appreciate all of the responses and it feels good to get it out hopefully I will now be more level headed with it all x

 

[Daunting]

Hi,

I do not know if this will help or not, but do you have employment laws where you are or even human rights. I am in Canada and I do believe there are laws about chronic illnesses and how your work is suppose to accommodate you.

I hope everything works out well for you, keep us posted

 

[KayleighMeek]

In the end the meeting went ok they said about rest days instead of sick days where I could phone in and take it as unpaid/owed/annual leave so that takes a weight of my mind as I hate taking sick days and it doesn't help when I worry about it. They also said they would help in anyway they can and the man that came from HR was lovely and really supportive. They didn't ask any horrible questions and they made it clear they understand the situation I'm in, I feel very lucky to have such a supportive workplace so all that worry was for nothing. They are sending me to occupational health next week to see if they can do anything else to help out.
Still waiting for my appointment for MRI but hopefully it will be coming up soon and give me some answers as to why I'm having so much D and leaking going on.
Thank you everyone for the support you are all amazing x

 

[YJ120]

Hey Kayleigh,

That's absolutely fantastic and I'm so pleased for you

I've got a very supportive employer too n they sent me occ health in August and occ health were also great! So pleased you're now in this position too

Yvette xx

 

[nogutsnoglory]

So happy to hear of their support and understanding.