Sick leave!?

[Jojo1812]

Hi everyone, just looking for some advice, I've been off work this week, as I've had my EC, it's only actually today u've felt better from Monday, I'm going on either Saturday or Sunday for ET, I just wanted to give myself a few more days afterwards, as I work in a special educational needs school it's a very strenuous job. I've been in touch with my Drs today about a sick note, however my own Dr wasn't there and the duty Dr doesn't know if they can sign me off for IVF treatment. Basically I'm wondering if anyone has had ne experience with this problem???

[Hidden]

You could ask them to sign you off with stress as ivf and stress go hand in hand xx

[Jojo1812 in reply to Hidden]

Thank u for ur reply. Will go down this road on Monday then with them xx

[Hidden in reply to Jojo1812]

Good luck 😊 and hope all goes well with your treatment x

[LR16 in reply to Jojo1812]

I would suggest that, regardless of the reason for you having been in hospital, the fact is you’ve had a surgical procedure and are going to have another and you’re not feeling well enough to work. I am not at all medically qualified but I think that it is not as simply as to say because it’s associated with IVF they won’t do it.

I haven’t been through IVF yet so unfortunately I’m not speaking from experience, but just from what I think is a logical and reasonable approach.

Wishing you well x

[staceymac83]

I have previously looked into this and your employer doesn’t have to pay you sick pay for ivf but as the previous post states if you asked to be signed off with stress you should be fine.

I am also looking into doing the same thing as I am a community mental health support worker and am struggling with the work/life/ivf balance.

[Wishfully]

Hi Jojo1812 - are you able to take it off as either paid or unpaid annual leave? I used holidays for everything except EC and 2 days recovery. Hope you sort something out x

[Jojo1812 in reply to Wishfully]

Unfortunately not no, as it's a school I work in so we don't get annual leave. My manager suggested going to b signed off as I was planning on working throu it, but the passed week have struggled with pain after EC so wouldn't of been ne use to work. I think I will go down the stress path with the Dr on Monday, I just hope my own Dr is in and a bit better than the duty one today x

[Wishfully in reply to Jojo1812]

I hope all goes well for your transfer 😊 Have my fingers crossed for you xx

[Lizzielizzielizzie]

I guess this depends on whether you’ve been on Easter holidays or off sick this week, but don’t forget you can self certify sick for the first five days, so maybe do that?

I work in a school but not a SEND one, and the thing that is difficult after ET is trying not to lift etc. You may want to ask your line manager to do a risk assessment for you x

[Jojo1812 in reply to Lizzielizzielizzie]

Thank u. I think there may b a risk assessment in the process. I've self cert this week, shame the Easter hols weren't a week later x

[Lizzielizzielizzie in reply to Jojo1812]

Mine were! You obviously live in the wrong place! 😟

Good luck with getting the doctor’s support x

[JenRoy]

How ridiculous that the duty doctor wasn’t sure they could sign you off! Of course they could. I’m a doctor and I would have signed you off without hesitation.

You can self-certify for 7 days and then more than that most employers require a GP letter/sign off xx

[Jojo1812 in reply to JenRoy]

Thank u, hoping my own Dr is better on Monday xx

[Leo2017]

I was signed off by my GP for both EC & ET during my fresh cycle and then again for transfer and week after of my frozen cycle!! He had no hesitation, said he appreciated how stressful IVF was and that it was right for him to help me minimise that!!

The note to my work just said ‘under care of gynaecologist’ to kee it reasonably discrete!!

Might be worth pursuing it with your usual GP! xx

[Jojo1812 in reply to Leo2017]

Thanks, sounds like u have a good Dr. I don't think the receptionist I spoke to 2nd time round was much good neither today. Think it was a bad day for her xx

[Leo2017 in reply to Jojo1812]

Yeah he def is!! But fingers crossed when you call back Mon you’ll get a better response from receptionist and the doc!! Wishing you the best of luck for your cycle!! xx

[Hidden]

Good luck for Monday! I’m sure once you talk it out with the GP face to face (or your usual GP on the phone) they won’t have any issue with signing you off . Getting a sick note over the telephone from a doctor that has not met you before can be difficult especially if the GP is quite cautious as it is a legal document which they may later have to justify.

Try not to worry about it over the weekend and just focus on yourself and feeling better xxx

[lorraineb61]

After ET, if you have told your work then you are protected by pregnancy employment law. I would be careful about getting a note with stress as it will stay on your record and you have no idea how that will affect you later on. Good luck with the transfer x

[megad26]

My GP has signed me off for the whole 2WW and did not hesitate at all. xx

[Em2405]

Hi Jojo, I work in a primary school and was quite unwell with all the drugs and couldn’t quite manage my stressful working environment and juggling the ivf too. I saw a GP in my surgery and the minute I told him I was having IVF he just asked me when the cycle finished and then added on another month so he gave me 2 month sick note and said he thinks IVF is one of the most stressful times of life. I was really lucky.

Check your policy in school but it was important for me to have IVF on the sick note because it’s a protected status and they can’t use it against me or penalise me for time off sick due to this.

I think you should ask your GP for time off as you need to be relaxed in the 2ww. I’m sure they will do this for you. Good luck and baby dust to you! Xxx

[Jojo1812 in reply to Em2405]

Thank u so much for ur reply. Will try and c my Dr on Monday rather than phone calls and receptionist xx

[Rfletcher]

Hello, my clinic have told me they will sign me off for 2 weeks from my EC. I also work in a school and the specialist said it would be best to take the two weeks. Xx

[Rachwithers]

Hi, I also am a primary school teacher and am worried about the work load, stress and ivf treatment... how much time have you taken off? Xx

[Jojo1812 in reply to Rachwithers]

I've only taken 5 days off so far, that has been this week just gone. I don't want to b off for ages, just wanted another week for thing to settle, as I'm not having ET till tomorrow.

My work colleagues in my class (who are the only ones who know) are being fantastic, telling me not to go back, but I feel guilty, as I'm never off work.

My head teacher has been great, an if I've had some appointment in school time she's had no issues at all with me having some time to go to them xx

[Buisquits]

Hi. I’m also in primary school. I was lucky to have my egg transfer week before Ester holiday so I’ve managed to get 3 weeks off! I’m trying not to think about going back on Monday, but I know I’ll have to take it easy. My head is very supportive but once you at work you need to do your best. On the other hand when I’m not at work I feel awfully guilty and stressed! I hate having a supply in my class, no matter how good they are , they are not me! My plan is to give some more responsibilities to my TA, she is fantastic, and take 30 min for my lunch without working through it. Will it work? We will see

[Jojo1812 in reply to Buisquits]

It's so much easier said than done isn't it?! I intend to lighten the load a bit, and staff in my class r fab, I'm sure they won't let me do things, but as it's a SEN school I will feel rather useless.

[Buisquits in reply to Jojo1812]

Depending what challenges you have in your class. I’m lucky to have a lovely bunch, not very clever but lovely

I think that if you already worry about it, and you don’t feel up to it then it’s better to stay at home and don’t add to your stressful life any more. If something goes wrong, god forbid!, you will never forgive yourself. Stress related sick leave sounds like a good option. Gp can’t really refuse that

Xxx