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Posted By Kenny McGillivray
Hi All
Please remind me what thoughts you have on the matter of staff coming to work when obviously not able.
A member of our staff has returned to work after an operation to remove varicose veins from her legs. She is heavily bandaged and has difficulty walking. She has been signed back by her doctor but I suspect she told the doctor she has a light job and persuaded him to sign her back. Her work involves supervising young unemployed people in a training centre doing job finding skills etc. can be demanding at times and all welfare facilities are on the first floor accessed by stairs.
finances should not be the issue as she gets paid for 3 months when off sick, I suspect her manager has put some pressure on her and she feels guilty that other staff have been moved round to cover her job when she was off.
What should I do? I am minded to take the attitude that if she is daft enough to come back then on her head be it. The sensible part of me thinks I should be risk assessing and looking at suitable measures of control.
Any thoughts
regards
Kenny
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By CFT
Kenny
Always a difficult one when the GP has signed the person as 'fit to resume work'. One supposes as you indeed suggest that the person has massaged the truth regarding the duties they are required to perform, thus being signed as fit to return (commendable in itself).
I would always have individual RA's when people return from an illness so that I can best decide on the duties the person can do; we have a policy that states when in doubt we will have our Medical Officer carry out a medical, restricted to their present condition and the duties they currently get paid for and usually the insurers want some input at the same time.
Whichever route you take, you are absolutely right to identify the needs of the person and whatever company procedure you normally exercise should be invoked for this person.
All the best
CFT
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Posted By Clare Gabriel
Before any person comes back to work after such surgery you should get them in to see your own works doctor. It is admirable that employees 'struggle' back in but at what cost? Your works doctor will probably advise a staged return and also what tasks they can and cannot do. Please remember that the GP note is not written in stone and your works doctor is able to override them due to their working knowledge of the site. If a manager is insisting they return to work then the manager may need some councelling!!!
You should also be checking with your insurance company how you stand allowing such a person back when clearly not fit - have you considered how to get them out in the event of an emergency evacuation. you may wish to confine them to the ground floor.
you should really not be permitting her to go to other sites - again insurance.
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Posted By David F Spencer
Yes, I'd have a detailed discussion and do an RA. I work in a potentially difficult environment and have had 4 hernia ops, two of which have gone seriously wrong; I always take long enough to be able to go back into my work environment & be able to face any circumstances that may arise. I don't milk it, but I use common sense.
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Posted By David J Jones
Kenny,
If you have no "works doctor or medical officer", I would advise contacting an Occupational Health organisation and have the lady assessed by them. They would first wish to know the full extent of her duties, if they did not, be concerned!
Agree with the other posters re insurance, it is also worth considering your duty of care.
Regards
David
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