Work have pulled a fast one here.....

[PriorityOne]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

good plan P1,make sure you get it all documented, evidence is power

Thanks Mrs D....

Have just had a very polite response back from my boss after emailing him earlier.... but he has copied a load of people into it, including the man at the very top of the tree (so to speak), so I'm assuming that's because of what the certificate states.

[MrsD]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

good plan P1,make sure you get it all documented, evidence is power

[PriorityOne]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

Off work again but signed off by the GP this time due to work-based stress. That's gonna go down like a lump of concrete.... but as I won't be going back for some time now, I won't get the fallout. If/when I do go back, there will need to be changes....

[PriorityOne]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

So they are going down the route of lets ignore it it'll go away Dangerous for them if a claim was to be dropped.


Jane x

Yes, I think so too Jane.... although they'll do their best to wriggle out of it, I'm sure.

[tastyjane]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

So they are going down the route of lets ignore it it'll go away Dangerous for them if a claim was to be dropped.


Jane x

[PriorityOne]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

Well.... I returned to work Monday and went straight back into things. Management didn't ask how I was feeling or anything.... but have been ok; no attitude or anything.

It's now Wednesday though and I am exhausted as usual.... but only have to get to Friday for half term, so will plod on. I estimate that I should be able to do two more weeks after half term before going back to my GP and that should be it until some time next year.

[PriorityOne]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

Thanks Jane...... you've been a great help with this. I'll update you all when I go back next week.

[tastyjane]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

Very early on in my career I learnt to be one step ahead, companies (and I don't know much about education in all honesty) should take work place stress seriously, if you start talking to health professionals before they force you to it will strengthen your case. They should however address the issues causing it but unfortunately more often than not they hope it will go away!

Hope you feel better soon.

jane x

[Pixie]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

It's sad that you feel the need to cut corners for self-preservation but I'm sure you're far from alone.

[PriorityOne]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

What a lovely GP P1...it's great when they take your concerns seriously isn't it?

Is the weekend morning/evening work part of your directed time or extra to it? Or is directed time something else that academies don't need to take any notice of?

Whoever thought that schools could be run as businesses has obviously never worked in a school...and probably wouldn't be able to hack it if they did...it's not the doddle that some people seem to think it is.

It says in my contract that there's no requirement for weekend working. The VP has tried to get it seen as directed time when very few of us volunteered to do it.... but this was only a mumbled, verbal threat at the back end of the summer term and nothing's been done. She can be very dictatorial and over-delegates but in reality, it's an attempt to cover up a lack of confidence. I had a mild pop at her a few weeks ago for making some really cack decisions re. student groupings and she was left looking a bit of an idiot. It's not easy working with an idiot however.... and I have to try hard to keep my mouth shut a lot of the time. She's got where she is through years of brown-nosing but is rubbish at seeing the bigger picture, which is why she was sent over to us in the first place. I know this through insider sources.... but it changes nothing and she's now here to stay.

I agree, schools are not businesses and it's a ridiculous concept but it's how it seems to have gone. With that, comes the idea that students are consumers, so if they fail it's the fault of teachers. All part of the Government agenda, it seems....

I will be looking to reduce my hours next September, for sure. My enthusiasm for the job has now gone.... In the meantime, I'll be cutting corners for self-preservation.

[Pixie]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

What a lovely GP P1...it's great when they take your concerns seriously isn't it?

Is the weekend morning/evening work part of your directed time or extra to it? Or is directed time something else that academies don't need to take any notice of?

Whoever thought that schools could be run as businesses has obviously never worked in a school...and probably wouldn't be able to hack it if they did...it's not the doddle that some people seem to think it is.

[PriorityOne]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

Ok... an update.

Firstly, I had a conversation with someone from my union this morning. The lady I spoke to more or less said that Academies can do what they like because they are run the same as any other business. This means they can get around my job description and direct me to do all sorts outside of it (or so it seems) and they wouldn't be breaking the law. They do however, have a duty of care and she advised me to go down this route if I wanted any changes to happen. I told her that the loss of PPA time had been rectified and that I had sneakily taken myself off the lunch duty rota and replaced my name with the Vice Principal's.... (she still hasn't noticed) .... because it seemed the easiest thing to do.

On a different issue, the Vice Principal sent out another email last light dictating that we make ourselves available for early morning weekend working this weekend and next; to promote the school at these PR events she keeps cooking up, although it's been toned down slightly in the sense that she has "recognised the need for a work/life balance", so we only need pick one event out of 2 weekend mornings and one evening event. I will not be picking anything.... lol... and am more than happy to say so (again) on that score, especially when no requirement for weekend working is mentioned in my contract anyway.... and there's been insufficient notice for the evening event.

I then went to see the GP, who was lovely!! He listened to me, asked all kinds of questions and was ready to sign me off there and then.... but I said that I didn't want to go off just yet because it's half term the week after and I'd like to get past that point, if possible. He was also aware of what Academies are like, so maybe he's had several members of staff crawl in there on their knees lately. Anyway, he wants me to go back in about 3 weeks when he'll sign me off then if I need it. If a doctor's certificate goes in stating work-based stress as the cause, my employer will then need to act upon it. I explained that my reason for being off this time around was because I spent most of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night marking work by squinting at a computer screen because the school wants to be paperless. Hence the reason why I woke with a migraine at 3am Tuesday morning and then threw up. He said that he was glad that I came to see him, logged everything and stressed the importance of having things like this logged, so thank you TastyJane for urging me to go

[Pixie]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

Good luck at your GP appointment P1.

Yes, from what I've heard, it seems that academies can do what the hell they like

[PriorityOne]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

Maybe make it clear to the GP that your current stress is being directly caused by your work and not any anxiety in anticipation of your operation or anything related to your upcoming surgery. That would avoid your workplace attempting to shift the blame.

Thanks PlanB. I'm assuming that's what they're thinking, which is making me consider putting my concerns in an email once again.

I've got a GP appt. in 15 mins.... and have just answered a call from my union, so will update when I get back, although from what they've said (school) Academies seem to be able to do what the Hell they like....

[PlanB]

Re: Work have pulled a fast one here.....

an appt. to see my GP tomorrow Jane. I think I'll also ask him if he'll consider signing me off a week before the op. or something.

Maybe make it clear to the GP that your current stress is being directly caused by your work and not any anxiety in anticipation of your operation or anything related to your upcoming surgery. That would avoid your workplace attempting to shift the blame.