PHASED RETURN TO WORK USING ANNUAL LEAVE

Hi

I am due to go back to work on a phased return in June. I shall be using my annual leave from last year. Does anybody know if you can include bank holidays not taken in all of this.

I would be very grateful for any replies.

Liz xx

Hi Lizzie

Why do you have to use your holiday at all ?

You have been ill and most companies (but I agree not all) should just allow you a phased return to work, its a reasonable adjustment under the DDA. Has your company told you you have to use your annual leave?

Cathy

Hi Cathy

I worked for the NHS and seems its their policy for you to use annual leave. My manage is a bit of loss really and it took her weeks to come back to me with the info about phased return. I think I will ring them myself this afternoon but I know other companies who think they are giving the earth by letting you use annual leave from the year before.

I sat and worked out my phased return using 28 days annual leave plus the bank holiday and that would give me a full return to work in September. I don’t want to go back full time before that as the lady who has been doing my work is on 2 weeks holiday in August and I know I couldn’t cope with the doctor I work for on my own. He is a lovely man but very disorganised ( I have tried for 8 years to get him organised but given up), and demanding in a nice way but I had to finish work early last year when I got my diagnosied because he was stressing me out.

Thanks.

Liz xx

Hi Liz

I think you should take some advice here and maybe othe rpeople can jump in, because I dont think it is reasonable that you should use 100% of your leave to come back to work in a way that will make it successful, of maybe if you come back in september you should use what you would have accrued til then, but what happens in Novemeber when you need a day off for personal reasons?

I have noticed there are lots of other ladies who have worked for the NHS, also have you tried ringing the disability helpline - they are actually really good on things like this-

good luck
cathy

Hi - I am only using leave from last year so I will have my full entitlement to this year which I don’t want to touch really. Am I being greedy ?!

What is the disability helpline Cathy?

Liz xx

PS I think that in our circumstances we should get a good phased return and not have to worry about how much annual leave we have xx

Hi
I work for the NHS as well. I didn’t use my AL as part of my phased return I worked a two day and then a three day week for a couple of months and then went back to full time. Although I must say almost a year on I leave most days before my finish time as I am still very tired (my manager ok with this). However I was told that I could only carry a maximum of five days AL forward so towards the end of last years holiday entitlement I used some of my holidays rather than increasing my sick leave but that was my choice.
As far as bank holidays are concerned under Agenda for Change you cannot carry them forward at all just the AL
Hope this helps
Suzieb

Here it is - used to be Disability rights helpline, worth a call, but be prepared to wait on hold,

Equality and Human Rights Commission Helpline
Freepost RRLL-GHUX-CTRX
Arndale House
Arndale Centre
Manchester
M4 3EQ

0845 604 6610 - England main number
0845 604 6620 - England textphone
0845 604 6630 - England fax

Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm)

Catherine

Hi Lizzie

I work for the NHS and when I went back last year I used my annual leave to help me with phased return as I went back in February and had about 20 days left. I used 15 of the and carried 5 over. I am going back on 12th May this year and Occupational Health said that I could have phased return and not use my annual leave entitlement as it it the beginning of the holiday year and not fair to expect you to use them.

Ring occupational Health.

Mandyxxx

Hi Lizzie

I work for the NHS and am hoping for phased return. I dont expect to use any of my AL, but as my sick pay has run out, I may have pay reduced, I dont know yet. I am doing all my phased return thru Occupational Health. They will know all the ins and outs of what you are entitled to etc.

There is no national policy about the payment of phased returns in the NHS. It is down to your Trust’s own policy. In my Trust, we pay people their full pay for a certain length of time. As I work in HR I am involved in the policy making, but didn’t expect to have to use it myself! Under the new arrangements for ill health retirements for NHS staff which came in on 1st April, which includes a section on absence management, phased returns are mentioned as good practice after any period of prolonged absence. They are mentioned as a reasonable adjustment under the DDA, however it does not mention payment. Your HR department should be able to tell you exactly what the arrangements are in your Trust or maybe the policies are available on the Trust website? However, national arrangements are that you can only take 5 days annual leave (pro rata) over from last year, so if you are being allowed to take over your whole entitlement, they are being very generous. You definitely can’t carry over statutory holidays.

All the best
Anne

Thanks to you all for your replies. I now know not to make a fool of myself and ask for the bank holidays and be happy with my annual leave for phased return.

Love Liz xx