Sick leave/annual leave

MaudL

Hi,
I might need to get minor surgery with 2-3 days recovery at home.
Can I use sick leave for that or do I need to put in for vacation time?
Thanks

drunkmonkey

That's Sick Leave, but if you want full pay you could put in for holiday pay it varies from employer to employer, some pay sick leave and some don't. If they don't pay sick leave you get a payment from the social welfare.

BostonB

Depends how the doctor writes it up. (I assume).

MaudL

ok, thank you for the very speedy responses!

Wishbone Ash

drunkmonkey wrote: »

If they don't pay sick leave you get a payment from the social welfare.

That depends on the class of PRSI paid. Those paying a D stamp like myself don't get Social Welfare payments.

SerialComplaint

Depends what the surgery is - boob job or eye laser surgery - on your own time then.

MaudL

SerialComplaint wrote: »

Depends what the surgery is - boob job or eye laser surgery - on your own time then.

lol, no it's for an actual medical issue, not any kind of body enhancement

tatli_lokma

drunkmonkey wrote: »

That's Sick Leave, but if you want full pay you could put in for holiday pay it varies from employer to employer, some pay sick leave and some don't. If they don't pay sick leave you get a payment from the social welfare.

For H&S reasons a lot of employers will not allow you to take AL to cover a genuine period of medical leave. so check that first. A previous employer of mine wouldn't let me take AL when I had flu - I was only there 5 mths, and wouldn't get paid sick leave until 6mths. So I asked if I could use my AL instead. Point blank no was the answer.

SerialComplaint wrote:

Depends what the surgery is - boob job or eye laser surgery - on your own time then.

its still medical time off. If you are having a procedure -whatever the cause, you are unfit for work. The word 'Sick' sometimes confuses the issue - you don't have to be 'sick' in the traditional sense always. You are unfit for work. No reason why someone can't opt for elective surgery if it is warrented, regardless of what the procedure is - by your example it could be argued that someone who plays sport and gets an injury should take time off on AL instead of medical. My point of view on it is that as long as a medical practicioner decides you are not fit to be in the workplace, then you are on medical. Obviously if it is elective surgery then as much time as possible should be given to minimise disruption.

Nody

Little Ted wrote: »

its still medical time off. If you are having a procedure -whatever the cause, you are unfit for work. The word 'Sick' sometimes confuses the issue - you don't have to be 'sick' in the traditional sense always. You are unfit for work. No reason why someone can't opt for elective surgery if it is warrented, regardless of what the procedure is - by your example it could be argued that someone who plays sport and gets an injury should take time off on AL instead of medical. My point of view on it is that as long as a medical practicioner decides you are not fit to be in the workplace, then you are on medical. Obviously if it is elective surgery then as much time as possible should be given to minimise disruption.

But some companies do differentiate; I know in one of the companies I worked paid sick leave was not in effect if you were out due to personal surgery but would be if you broke your foot for example.

SerialComplaint

Little Ted wrote: »

its still medical time off. If you are having a procedure -whatever the cause, you are unfit for work. The word 'Sick' sometimes confuses the issue - you don't have to be 'sick' in the traditional sense always. You are unfit for work. No reason why someone can't opt for elective surgery if it is warrented, regardless of what the procedure is -

So who decides what is 'warranted'?

tatli_lokma

SerialComplaint wrote: »

So who decides what is 'warranted'?

a medical practicioner

Technically as far as medical types are concerned, everything other than an operation or procedure that is part of an emergency is elective. So if you are admitted to A&E and need an emergency appendectomy, it is emergency. But if you need say a cyst removed, or a hernia repaired, or whatever, and you go on a waiting list, this is considered elective. You choose to have it or not - you elect to have the procedure.

Even 'cosmetic' surgery needs to be warranted - like they are not going to agree to give you laser eye surgery if you don't have impaired eyesight! So unless you have body dismorphia or attend Jordan's or Michael Jacksons plastic surgeon, a doctor will decide if a procedure is warranted.

I would say however, most people who would have minor cosmetic work or minor dental work will try to do this in their own time to avoid drawing too much attention.

tatli_lokma

Nody wrote: »

But some companies do differentiate; I know in one of the companies I worked paid sick leave was not in effect if you were out due to personal surgery but would be if you broke your foot for example.

I think that is daft...what is the difference between someone who has, say, varicose veins removed (could be seen as cosmetic as many of these ops are done for cosmetic reasons rather than a medical complications), and someone who goes out every week rock climbing and breaks their foot. It is your decision to partake of an activity outside of work which could result in injury.

I could understand it if they said, paid sick leave for workplace injury, no paid leave for all others. Where medical leave is concerned, I think it should be we pay it, or we don't. It shouldn't get into specifics of how or why someone is having a medical procedure - once they can certify they are unfit for work, then they are on medical. If you have a problem with paying for certain illnesses and not for others, then don't pay for any. It could end up very confusing from the point of who to pay and also from a personal perspective, I would find it intrusive if your employer were to sit you down and interrogate why you are having an operation. I wouldn't be keen on that at all.

All or nothing is my opinion....but then that is just my view on it.