just wondering if anyone can advise me please. I have been signed off sick till end of Jan 23. I still have to undergo 5 sessions of radiotherapy. Before returning to work, I was thinking of going abroad just to take some time out away as the last few months have been really tough after receiving my diagnosis.
Prior to going off work, my manager did tell me that I couldn’t go on holiday whilst I was on sick leave and that I would have to return to work and if I wanted to take a holiday then I would need to take my Annual Leave. Is this correct? I’m not sure how it has been for others?
I do feel a bit guilty for wanting to take a holiday whilst off sick but I feel it will be good for my mental health and general well being before returning to work.
it would be good if someone can share their thoughts.
Your manager is talking complete nonsense! Whilst you are signed off on sick leave you can do what you want including going holiday! (Although clearly you can’t go to work for someone else)
Despite the wording of “sick notes”/“fit notes” they are not a judgement call on your ability (or not) to do your job. (they are required by employers so they can claim your SSP from the government) Whilst you may physically feel OK you are equally entitled to be off work if mentally you are not OK, mental illness is just the same as physical illness and the fact that you are physically able to travel does not mean you are able to work.
I was fortunate that financially it was OK for me to stay off beyond my contractual sick pay and was just paid SSP for the last couple of months and I only returned to work once I felt both physically (yes the post RT fatigue takes time) and mentally able: it was my oncologist who said “if it was me, I wouldn’t return until I was climbing the walls and there was nothing else I’d rather be doing” and as far as I’m concerned she was absolutely right.
I hope this is helpful, both MacMillan and Maggie’s have specialist advisors on employment rights if you need a bit more of a steer
Just another quick thought on this as I’ve just remembered what happened for me 12 months ago: I was on Statutory Sick Pay this time last year however we were at the end of the holiday year and I had 11 days of my entitlement left. I was given the option to carry some over or “take” them and be paid for them. I chose to take them as holiday and get paid for them.
It doesn’t sound like this what your manager is saying (if you follow that logic that means every day anybody takes off as “holiday” means you have to be “enjoying yourself really?)