Help- need advice on time off work

Hi everyone,

  I am feeling really stressed right now. I am in the process of doing my pre-reqs for surgery.  I have now taken off work 3 times for doctor's appointments. I just found out on Friday that I will need to do a group therapy class... Which is 4 weeks in a row and I will need to take off the afternoons at work. I also have other appointments. I'm not sure how to tell my boss this. She knows I'm planning on getting the surgery, but I don't know how understanding my work will be with all the time needed off. Have any of you gone through this?   I am doing my best to schedule as many appointments as possible for the same days. It's just overwhelming.    Jessica

Do you qualify for FMLA?  If so, that can probably be used to cover pre op appointments as well as post op.

Hi Kelly. I think I do.. I'm not sure how the FMLA works yet.  It's so overwhelming! 

FMLA gives you 13 weeks where you can go to the doctor and have surgery. You have this availabel once per year it can be intermitten and provides you with job securety so that you can not be terminated. You can googel FMLA as well it you should be able to get an explenation from there get in contact with your HR department. Do it before you get in any trouble for missing to much time. Hope this helped.

 

Marita

Check with your HR Department.  You have to have worked there for at last one year and worked at least 1250 hours during that year.  Also, very small companies are excmpt from FMLA.  I think there have to be at least 50 employees but I don't recall for sure.

I work for a large bank and am eligible for FMLA based on length of service. Intermittent FMLA looks really complicated though. I looked at my company's policies and couldn't make sense of them. I will talk to my manager though. Thanks!!

Is there an option for evening group therapy?  My bariatric center offered both day and evening group?  Perhaps there is another group in the area that your Doctor could recommend.

 

best of luck to you on your journey and it is SO WORTH IT!  10 days post op and feeling good.

susan

Hi Susan, no they offer the 1.5 hour class at 9am, 12pm, and 3pm. I work 7-4 so I'm signed up for the 3pm class. I will technically only need 2 hours off each of those days, unless I can get some of the other million appointments I have on the same day. 

Glad you are feeling good post op!!

It's hard not to feel guilty for taking time off but you are doing what is best for you and your health.  I think you are being very responsible for taking the latest class you can and missing the bare minimum.  I don't know your boss but most of us just feel guilty taking time out to do stuff for ourselves but we shouldn't.  I had surgery over two years ago and it was the best thing I have ever done!  Wish I would have done it years ago, best of luck to you on your journey!!

 

You're right- I'm trying to get healthy and I really need this. I do feel guilty about taking the time off plus I don't know how to explain to my coworkers where I am going when I have to take off all these days. Ugh. I don't want to share my plans for surgery with everyone. Thanks for the advice.