Quit while on sick leave

petyaaa6 · 18-04-2023 1:45pm #1

Hi guys!

I'm on sick leave due to mental sickness, thanks to my employer. I'm trying to build myself up so I can apply for other jobs and also quit. My question is: can I quit while I'm on sick leave? Also, I had to apply for illness benefit.. does it impact all this?

Thanks a lot in advance!

o1s1n · 18-04-2023 1:48pm

Best thing to do is stay on the illness benefit and on sick leave in your current state and look for jobs while you are off.

Once you find a job, hand in your notice from the job you are on sick leave from and end the illness benefit. Then start the new job.

petyaaa6 · 18-04-2023 2:34pm

Thanks! So I can hand in the notice while I'm on sick leave, right?

Also, how can I end the illness benefit? As, to be honest it's nice to have, but I don't exactly need it (according to company's policy I should be paid up to 13wks of sick leave) and I don't want it to interfere with my potential new job (as I can't work.. while I'm on sick leave) or something.

I also thinking about creating a business and go for New Frontiers.. as my field is not really the best at the moment (social media/tech). But again, I'm a bit afraid that the Illness Benefit would interfere with New Frontiers phase 2 (they'd pay to work on the business for 6 months). What would be the best action in this case? The goal is: I really don't want to set my foot again in my current employer's office, ever.

Thanks really a lot in advance!!!

o1s1n · 18-04-2023 2:48pm

You can indeed, so don't be worrying about it. Honestly if you've been on long term sick leave your employer might even be glad to get your notice so they can look into hiring a replacement.

Does your employer apply for illness benefit for you or do you do it yourself? It's been a very long time since I read up on it, if I remember correctly to do it yourself you got a form to be completed weekly by your doctor to submit to the social welfare office and then there was a final form you sent in when you wanted it to end.

Not sure about New Frontiers to be honest, so can't say anything about that unfortunately!

petyaaa6 · 18-04-2023 2:59pm

Great!

So then - without knowing exactly how it would interfere with new frontiers - maybe, the best course would be while I'm on sick leave hand in notice + go on 2 weeks holidays (hopefully paid by employer) -> by the end of it, the 30 days notice will be done. And the sick leave and illness benefit would end before the 2 weeks holiday starts and after the holiday, I'd begin the new frontiers with clean state.

What do you think?

o1s1n · 18-04-2023 3:04pm

Do you think the New Frontiers is a 100% dead set thing or would you potentially have to find a new job?

If it were me I'd stay on long term sick leave but job search while doing that/go for interviews.

Once I got a job offer, I'd then had in my notice with my current employer and then look to cutting the illness benefit off.

I wouldn't be handing in notice etc before getting a new job offer as technically you don't know how long that will take and you don't want to be left unemployed with no job or income after handing in your notice.

petyaaa6 · 18-04-2023 3:24pm

Makes sense!

Well, in detail what I planned (if all goes well) is:

20th of May I'll know for sure if New Frontiers will work or not (that's when I get if I've been accepted or not). If yes, then going ahead with my plan, which is below, if not... well, then I'd stay on sick leave while I'm searching/building business.
On the 21st I'd hand in my notice, so 30 days from that. Sick leave till 2-5th of June or sg -> then 2 weeks holidays. By the 21st of June, I'll be off from my employer.
20th of June: New Frontiers begins.

Does that sounds good?

Jim2007 · 18-04-2023 4:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492019#Comment_120492019

Holidays are at your employers discretion, depending on the job and their needs they may require you to work out your notice period and pay out the holidays instead.

petyaaa6 · 18-04-2023 5:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492344#Comment_120492344

Even if they approved it before? I mean, they approved it a week ago for June (obviously haven't handed in my notice yet). I have tickets that I can't cancel.

Jim2007 · 18-04-2023 6:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492402#Comment_120492402

Are you a key employee that would need to hand over their work to someone else or are you just one of many that can easily be replaced by someone else? If you are then, they may just compensate you for the tickets. I know you are in a difficult situation and that is why you need try and have reasonable expectations.

I have seen both situations, people who are not critical to the organisation find it easy to leave, people who are critical need to had over before the exit.

wonski · 18-04-2023 6:40pm

Be careful with cancelling illness Benefit, as some companies will deduct it at source (check your contract and employee handbook).

As long as you are certified unfit dlfor work your illness Benefit will continue unless you close the claim.

If you had your annual leave approved it should stay, but again check your contract and employee handbook as some if not most companies would continue with sick pay until you return to work (you retain your annual leave while on sick leave).

petyaaa6 · 18-04-2023 7:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492672#Comment_120492672

I'm not really a "key employee" as such I believe. I'm an account manager, but there are many others too. Would be surprised if they'd pay me, as it's a bought vacation valued at +€4k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492776#Comment_120492776

What I thought is cancelling the Illness Benefit along with ending the sick leave. So I hand in my notice on the 20th of May (30 days) -> my sick leave ends on the 2nd or 3rd (requesting the med cert up until that date) -> so I'm planning to close the claim as well. And then, flying off on the 5th for 2weeks.

It's not realistic?

o1s1n · 19-04-2023 10:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492402#Comment_120492402

You're complicating matters a little bit with the holiday leave.

If you are on sick leave you can still go on your holiday. Just stay on sick leave and go away as planned.

Jim2007 · 19-04-2023 5:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492963#Comment_120492963

Well if you are an account manager I'd assume they'd want you to do a hand over, introduce the new account manager to the customers, update them on any special circumstances you have with customers etc... or are there multiple account managers dealing with customers?

As you seem to be will to fore go any benefits available and just want to get out... The I'd just submit a resignation with immediate effect due to illness and have done with it. But it might be a bit odd to rock up a month or two later asking for a reference.

Quit while on sick leave

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