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delay in going back to work

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  • 25-03-2015 1:14am
    #1
    orlyice
    Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭


    Hi all.

    Need a little bit of advice. I'm a permanent civil servant and have been out on sick leave since last July, suffering from depression. Thankfully I have been great since Christmas and wanted to go back to work in Jan. I had been in discussions with the chief medical officer (cmo) about a date to return to work when I found out I was pregnant. The cmo and my gp decided that I would be better off waiting for a few weeks before going back to work as I had to come off all my meds.

    So since then I have jumped thru hoops, getting letters from different docs who have been treating me and they all say the same thing, I am fit for work. then the cmo would review that letter and decide he wants a report from a different doc... It is doing my head in! I feel like I am in a vicious circle, my mental health is suffering because I am idle, when I was actually sick the days rolled into one. Now everyday feels like a month. I also have an income protection scheme and have been claiming off that but they have deemed me fit to work so I am been cut off at the end of the month. Financial worries isn't going to do my mental health any favours either!

    So now I am at the point where I am wondering if I would be better off handing in my notice and getting something else.I Need to work, need some normality and routine Can't take aroutine. f this fighting to go back to work. I have tried to contact the cmo several times in the last week and got no response. Guess I need an outside perspective, would I be able to take a constructive dismissal case against them?


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    #2
    nac4bie
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭nac4bie


    Why not just get the reports they want, jump through their hoops, do what they ask? I imagine it'll be difficult to get a new job in your position. I know it's some hassle short-term, but it would be worth getting back there for even six months for the sake of your CV.


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    #3
    Cork Lass
    Registered Users Posts: 6,858 ✭✭✭Cork Lass


    Ask to be referred to the occupational health doctor, if both he/she and your GP state you are fit for work then you should be able to return. Are you a member of a union? If so then give them a call for assistance with this.


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    #4
    BabySlam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 349 ✭✭BabySlam


    contact your union. why walk out of your job?


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    #5
    davo10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    orlyice wrote: »
    Hi all.

    ....... when I found out I was pregnant. The cmo and my gp decided that I would be better off waiting for a few weeks before going back to work as I had to come off all my meds.

    Op if your own GP has concerns about you going back to work, you should listen to them. You may be well enough to work but may not be well enough to return to the working environment that may have been a contributing factor in you illness. You cannot return to work unless the cmo deems you fit as there would be a serious health and safety risk, your employer would be exposed if they allowed you to return, against the advice of their own cmo.


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    #6
    orlyice
    Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭orlyice


    nac4bie wrote: »
    Why not just get the reports they want, jump through their hoops, do what they ask?

    This is what I have been doing. I ask them what they need, get the relevant paper work, only for them to decide a couple of weeks later that they need something else, which causes further delays.

    Corklass, the cmo is our occupational health. I have seen ho 3 times since Christmas, anytime he wants to see me, even at a few days notice, I make the 5 hour round trip.

    I have been a bit reluctant to get my union involved, but might have to be a road I have to go down.


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    #7
    orlyice
    Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭orlyice


    davo10 wrote: »
    Op if your own GP has concerns about you going back to work, you should listen to them. You may be well enough to work but may not be well enough to return to the working environment that may have been a contributing factor in you illness. You cannot return to work unless the cmo deems you fit as there would be a serious health and safety risk, your employer would be exposed if they allowed you to return, against the advice of their own cmo.

    Well when my GP expressed concerns about me going back to work in January it was due to me coming off my medication, and she told the cmo office that I would need a few more weeks, as the side effects of coming off the meds cold turkey would be very hard on me (and they were, not mentally but physically, but only for 10 days or so). These weeks have turned into months! she hasnt been treating me for my depression, she referred me to the mental health service about 6 months ago. In the last few months, psychologist, Occupational Health, Doctor and a Psychiatrist have all deemed me fit to return to work, they are the people who have been treating me for the last 6 months. Oh and a psychiatrist I was sent to thru my income protection insurance company has also deemed me fit for work and I have the paperwork to support that.

    Just to clarify, the cmo is my work doctor. I feel like he is dragging his heels and that as a pregnant woman who suffered from depression might be more hassle than I am worth! With the exception of the odd down day (that everyone gets!) I have been fine since Christmas. Even coming off the meds I suffered physically, not mentally.

    All this hassle about going back to work is really wearing me down. I am so sick of fighting everyday, ringing the cmo office to see if there is an update. He is nearly always too busy to talk to me and never returns my calls. I really dont know why they are dragging their heels so much.


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    #8
    davo10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,926 ✭✭✭davo10


    orlyice wrote: »
    Well when my GP expressed concerns about me going back to work in January it was due to me coming off my medication, and she told the cmo office that I would need a few more weeks, as the side effects of coming off the meds cold turkey would be very hard on me (and they were, not mentally but physically, but only for 10 days or so). These weeks have turned into months! she hasnt been treating me for my depression, she referred me to the mental health service about 6 months ago. In the last few months, psychologist, Occupational Health, Doctor and a Psychiatrist have all deemed me fit to return to work, they are the people who have been treating me for the last 6 months. Oh and a psychiatrist I was sent to thru my income protection insurance company has also deemed me fit for work and I have the paperwork to support that.

    Just to clarify, the cmo is my work doctor. I feel like he is dragging his heels and that as a pregnant woman who suffered from depression might be more hassle than I am worth! With the exception of the odd down day (that everyone gets!) I have been fine since Christmas. Even coming off the meds I suffered physically, not mentally.

    All this hassle about going back to work is really wearing me down. I am so sick of fighting everyday, ringing the cmo office to see if there is an update. He is nearly always too busy to talk to me and never returns my calls. I really dont know why they are dragging their heels so much.

    So what does your gp say now?

    I'm not sure that you can accuse the cmo of dragging his heals, he needs to be careful. A pregnant employee requires certain risk assessment considerations, an employee with a recent history of illness, likewise. A pregnant employee with a recent history of psychiatric treatment is a higher risk so they need to be extra careful for both yours and their benefit. As a matter of interest, was your place of work a contributing factor in your depression?


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    #9
    Glinda
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭Glinda


    Orlyice, Has the CMO actually certified you as not currently fit for work? If not, and if you have a cert from your own doctor stating that you are fit to work then you may be able to move things along a bit by writing to your own HR, enclosing a copy of the cert from your own doctor that says you are fit and informing them that, on foot of that cert, you propose to return to work immediately.

    They can refuse to let you, but only if the CMO says you are not fit. This would at least pressure the CMO to make a call one way or the other rather than stringing you along.

    If the CMO says you are not fit, or HR say you have to wait then at that point I'd be involving my union.

    I certainly wouldn't advise you to resign, but I would strongly be of the view that you should write to HR and write to the CMO rather than letting them fob you off on the phone where there is no record of what was actually said.

    Best of luck with your recovery.


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