Time off work sick

MatsyLR · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:13

Got into a motorbike accident yesterday and my right arm is broken and bumps and bruises everywhere else.
I work for Npower as a call center agent, I need both my arms to able to type properly and do the job and I wouldn't able to sit there for any period of time without being in pain.
Going to call in sick tomorrow to tell them the situation, but I doubt they will care much at all and demand I come into work or disciplinary action will be taken. Already been of 1 day this year due to sickness (2014!!), I came into work and tried to persevere but my stomach wasn't having any of it (throwing up every 10min). They sent my home, I went to bed, I come into work the next day still not feeling well and my manager brought me into a room and basically told me, he tried to get in contact with me while I was home and couldn't (duh because I was asleep) so i'm being given a warning for being off (even though they sent me home) and if I'm off again "disciplinary action" will be taken which could lead to a meeting to sack me or not. That was a few months ago now.

Where do I stand? what can I do? I'm not in any kind of probation at all.
Going to GP tomorrow to get a sick note which they will request from me.

Tomsk · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:15

Doctor's note is all you can do.

Iamzod · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:17

How long have you been there out of interest?

SpeedFreak · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:17

If they raise a disciplinary I would be surprised.

Stewy · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:18

You on a temp or perm contract?

Iamzod · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:19

SpeedFreak said:
If they raise a disciplinary I would be surprised.

Having worked in a large call centre before I wouldn't be surprised.

Danthus · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:19

I would be amazed if a doctor didn't sign you off.

Rroff · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:20

Stewy said:
You on a temp or perm contract?

This and how long have you been there - if its more than 2 years they will need a lot more than that to do anything beyond moan and write stern letters.

EDIT: Judging by injuries where I work would be surprised if the doctor didn't sign you off for a couple of weeks or more depending on the nature of the injury.

Uther · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:20

Sounds like a terrible company to work for!

Lumeycom · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:22

My understanding that you self certify for the first week then get a doctors note if your going to be off longer?

Feek · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:22

The doctor will sign you off sick, you'll forward that onto your HR department and then that's it.

MatsyLR · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:22

Iamzod said:
How long have you been there out of interest?

About 11 month now (which worries me as they arn't kind under the 1 year mark)
Was already at the top pay wage of my particular job within 2 months.
Just waiting for promotion opportunities.

Stewy said:
You on a temp or perm contract?

Perm contract.

Only thing that worries me is that they are very funny with these sorts of things.
Theres people in the building with broken legs/foot etc who still have to come, as "they can get to there desk so they can work"

dowie · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:26

MatsyLR said:
Already been of 1 day this year due to sickness, ...

LOL wat?

no you haven't

Uther · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:26

MatsyLR said:
About 11 month now

Uh oh.

MatsyLR · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:27

dowie said:
LOL wat?

no you haven't

<.<
I will slap you!

Lopéz · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:31

Don't you have a points based system for this? It would take the guesswork out of it. I'd be surprised if they didn't have a pretty robust sickness and disciplinary process.

Heliospherez · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:33

If you are only in 11 months - you are most likely in your probationary period.

If you were in a probationary period and work could not contact you (whilst sick) at your house - then that is why you got the first disciplinary.

And if you go off sick now (again) i'm sure they probably have something in their handbook about 2 instances of sick / too many sick days in you probationnry period - whether genuine or faked. Most companies have every inventuality covered to protect themselves.

Our company expects people to come to work with broken arms / ankles / crutches etc - and the people are expected to sit at a desk and do spreadsheets/presentations for managers etc.

Destination · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:34

SpeedFreak said:
If they raise a disciplinary I would be surprised.

Indeed, if you are their member of staff and you have a doctors note, they can do nothing without breaking employment law.

HangTime · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:37

Uther said:
Sounds like a terrible company to work for!

If you get sacked for being off with a (certified) broken arm then I agree they are a crap company and you are better off finding something else anyway.

MatsyLR · 1 Jan 2015 at 16:41

Heliospherez said:
If you are only in 11 months - you are most likely in your probationary period.

If you were in a probationary period and work could not contact you (whilst sick) at your house - then that is why you got the first disciplinary.

And if you go off sick now (again) i'm sure they probably have something in their handbook about 2 instances of sick / too many sick days in you probationnry period - whether genuine or faked. Most companies have every inventuality covered to protect themselves.

Our company expects people to come to work with broken arms / ankles / crutches etc - and the people are expected to sit at a desk and do spreadsheets/presentations for managers etc.

My probation period ended in April.
We work on a rank system. A, B, C.
You are on on A when you first join and that is when you are probation.
B is earned when you achieve your "stats" call time, customer satisfaction etc for 4 weeks straight and you are of probation then + higher pay
C is earned in the same way just more pay and more time to get it.
I'm currently on C and have been so for months.

There is literally nothing I can do at work with my arm broke other than just sit there and do nothing all day while being in pain the entire time.
We are only trained/obliged to take calls from customers and note down everything on the computers. To do that at any timely manner, I need both my hands. I could do it one handed, but it will be very slow and I would have to try to use a mouse with my non-dominant hand which doesnt work very well, and type into lots of different boxes (keyboard shortcuts dont work on the system) and would not be fair on the customers who have to sit on the line twice as long as they need too (each call is usually 20mins)..