Please can someone help me or give me some advise. Last week after Boris announcement I was contacted by my head and advised not to attend school on the Tuesday until they have been able to take advise from HR as last lockdown we were told to stay home as clinical vulnerable. On Wednesday she then contacted me and advised that I had three options 1 to return to work where we have above 50% of our children in 2. Take it of unpaid or 3. Go to the doctors and get them to sign me off with anxiety. I explained that I wasn’t happy about going to the doctors and getting this as due to my existing medical condition would I then want to add anxiety to it too. Therefore I was told I had to return to work. This I have done but I have now been told that for tip and Wednesday I have to either take them as unpaid or sickness due to anxiety. As you can image I am not happy about this. I have explained to her that I’m not happy as she told me to stay of the Tuesday so surely I should get paid for this day. Ok on Wednesday I did say I was going to contact the doctor and get advise but why should I be made to take unpaid or sick day. Can someone please help me on this. I am going to contact the union for further advice and I am thinking of writing to head and copy the governor in as I am disgusted with the way that this has been done. Please can someone help as quite frankly I’m making myself ill over the whole situation and absolutely dreading going back into school tomorrow
If you had a shielding letter last time then you stay home and are paid as far as I know. If no shielding letter and you can work from home then this is what you can and must do according to lock down rules. If no letter then you are not on the shielding list so if you can not work from home then you have to go to work.
Personally I would have thought if you were told to stay at home then they have a duty to pay you.
Talk to your Rep as soon as you can, and get advice from your Union’s lawyers.
Alison
Alison absolutely right - before writing to anyone get Union advice.
Is the Headmistress of the school also a Human Resources Manager? I doubt it.
It is a matter for the employer to sort and I assume that is the Borough Council.
The Head will also be an employee.
Is Payroll dept. involved? It’s their responsibility to liaise with H.R.Dept to ensure terms of employment are adhered to. That includes fair and just treatment of employees.
There are so many changes to “the CoVid rules” of open/close schools which begin online learning systems.
I’m unsure if you teach, are in admin or other role. You should, if well enough, be able to continue working - either from home or at the school if that is practical. Otherwise, the Furlough Scheme should begin for you.
The Head, in my opinion, is out of order and potentially bullying staff into lying to their G.P. to claim sick pay, while the school receives the Furlough payments from Government.
Definitely take advice via the Union, make a list of every call or letter you receive from the Head. Gather as much evidence as you can. The Head could actually trying to illegally manage you out or encourage you to leave, in which case she is behaving unfairly towards constructive dismissal (forcing you to feel very uncomfortable and pressured into handing in your notice.
You’re not at fault, and should not be encouraged to deceive your GP or Welfare benefit, if you are up to attending work. Of course, if you are stressed, which exacerbates M.S, it may be right to approach your G.P for an official sick note.
Good luck honey, keep us in touch with your employer, Headmistress and Unison
Chrissie x