Fractured Foot & Expected to Return to Work

Twinkletoes39 · 24-07-2025 05:21PM #1

Hi,

I don't know if i'm posting in the right place.

I fractured my foot over 7 weeks ago now. I worked from for the first two weeks despite been signed off. My HR manager advised me to take the last two days off as she wasn't aware I was signed off completely.

The following 4 weeks my GP would either sign me off completely or not at all. I spoke to the hospital and the consultant said I could WFH.

I went back for my check up last week and the consultant said it's healing but still fractured. They let me take off my boot and just wear a supportive runner.

They said i've to work from home for another 6 weeks. They don't want me doing too much still and I think the main issue is we have stairs in to our office. I live in a bungalow.

My job is sending me to see an Occupational Therapist next week and don't see any reason I shouldn't return to the office. They said it's not good that i'll be out nearly 12 weeks.

I've also been put on a PIP during this time. I'm genuinely exhausted as my sleep pattern is all over the place and if I take painkillers (Solpadeine) they knock me for 6.

I genuinely feel I can't do right for doing wrong in this situation. I don't want to jeopardise my job and I also don't want to do permanent damage to my foot and never be able to go for a run/jog again.

Would anyone have any advice?

Larbre34 · 24-07-2025 05:30PM

I once got into a short battle between a consultant and a company doctor and ended up resigning in relatively short order due to their nonsense. I sent them a solicitor's letter and got three months salary out of them for poor HR practice.

Any employer that would put a staff member on a PIP for documented illness or injury is not worth your time.

_BAA_RAM_EWE · 25-07-2025 12:29AM

Thats a WRC slam dunk for you in the future if they try fire you for this.

Stay where you are, stop worrying. Stay at home as your consultant said.

Look up how WRC payouts work. This is very important.

I'd be surprised if the OT you see next week goes against your consultant also.

Twinkletoes39 · 25-07-2025 10:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123666561#Comment_123666561

I was put on a PIP because of some issues my manger felt had arised before I went on holidays such as not giving a detailed enough handover. It just feels like she is out to get me now. She's made comments about what I have been wearing in our Teams meeting and even went as far to say I had my top on inside out one day and it stood out, I've asked her for more information on this and got no response as I don't know what she's talking about. She has given me extra tasks to work on as our admin is on long term leave and wants me to do a complete review of our CRM system since January for my own work as she feels i've missed things. I worked extra hours last Saturday to try catch up and our last PIP meeting she said I was going against our right to disconnect policy and disturbed 8 other employees by sending out emails. Yes i've made mistakes over the past few weeks. Just to give an idea I went on leave for two weeks holidays came back and fractured my foot two days later. In the midst of this I had a health appointment and got some not so good news and have to have surgery in a few months. They found something unusual and have to remove my fallopian tube and want to rule out something sinister. The day after that my mam had a serious heart attack. I took 3 days force majeure 2 days some other type of leave unpaid and 2 days holidays for this then straight back to working from home. I am absolutely exhausted and chasing my tail and yes i've made mistakes. I tried to have a frank and open discussion with my HR manager and told her about my surgery etc. She advised maybe to have a chat with my manager about my surgery etc which I tried and she'd no more interest. I think she has it in for me as I went for the same position as her. We both already worked on the team.

rock22 · 25-07-2025 01:12PM

"I tried to have a frank and open discussion with my HR manager and told her about my surgery etc. She advised maybe to have a chat with my manager "

Have you an union you can turn to? Or any other staff representative? Do you feel this is a job you want to save if you are having such problems wit your manager?

You seem to be getting different advise from your consultant and GP. it would help if they could agree.

Twinkletoes39 · 25-07-2025 07:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123668864#Comment_123668864

I haven't seen the company doctor yet. My consultant wants me to work from home

Twinkletoes39 · 22-08-2025 01:34AM

I genuinely think my job are going to fire me. Everything has become an issue. I'm on a formal PIP now

Hotblack Desiato · 24-08-2025 12:16PM

Moral of the story is that if you are signed off sick by a doctor, DO NOT WORK, not at all.

Anything you do will just be used as evidence that you were not sick enough for their liking. If you could do two hours a day remotely, why not four. If you could attend the office one day a week, why not two… etc and nothing you could do short of a full time return to work would satisy them.

So protect yourself, and screw 'em. Don't do a tap while signed off. Any negative consequences will result in a trip to the WRC and they will lose.

fits · 24-08-2025 02:41PM

yeah. If you were signed off work you shouldn’t have been working. I’d recommend getting signed off completely now if your doctor thinks you need it. Take a break. And come back with full level of effort and a reset after a break.

SVI40 · 24-08-2025 03:02PM

If you are signed off from work the doctor has declared you medically unfit to work. You are no longer insured to work on your companies policy. Many managers / HR do not realise this.

WishUWereHere · 24-08-2025 03:23PM

Can I ask a question here? It’s not directly related to the above query, but PIP is mentioned above. I’m going to be off work due to radiation treatment but I’m wondering what is PIP?

SVI40 · 24-08-2025 03:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123749986#Comment_123749986

Performance improvement plan. Supposed to help you if you are under performing in your role at work. Usually used to manage you out of the company, while trying to cover their arses.

This is it · 24-08-2025 03:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123749986#Comment_123749986

Performance Improvement Plan. Generally used if your employer believes your standard of work has dropped/isn't good enough, or they're trying to force you out.

WishUWereHere · 24-08-2025 03:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123750014#Comment_123750014

ok, thanks, this won’t affect me so. Sorry OP for infringing on Your ankle problems. I hope You get sorted.

bucketybuck · 24-08-2025 04:04PM

If you aren't in a boot, then why exactly can't you return to the office? Are you on crutches?

From the company point of view they see an employee who was placed on a performance plan and almost immediately went absent. Like it or not, they are going to be cynical here.

Oscar_Madison · 24-08-2025 05:12PM

I don’t understand why you worked whilst out on sick leave - you’ve confused them somewhat - anyway, take your medical advice more seriously in future and stop trying to “please”- if you’re told you can’t commute by a doctor then don’t- if they fire you you’ll have a nice payout in due course - in the meantime dust down the CV- doesn’t look like it will be good for you long term to work there

Twinkletoes39 · 24-08-2025 09:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123750128#Comment_123750128

I was put on the performance plan after I fractured my foot. I was in a boot and crutches for 7 weeks. Then runner and a crutch but told to stay working from home. The doctor didn't want me tackling the stairs in my office. I went to the company doctor and they signed me off longer than my own doctor to work from home.

Fractured Foot & Expected to Return to Work

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