How soon before surgery did you tell work?

As I posted before I am very worried about telling work. I dont want to tell my boss that I am having WLS. I don't know what to tell him and when do I tell him?

hr needs to know what you are going out for if you are attempting to get short term disability if that is an option at your job. However no one else really needs to know why you are going to be gone.. you don't have to tell them you are having wls surgery you could make something up.

You may not even need to explain the surgery to your boss...you could just say your having surgery and leave it at that. Most bosses try to avoid getting involved in the medical information of their employees.  If the boss wants more info about it then just make something up. Say your having a hernia repaired or a cyst removed or for "feminine issues". Male bosses will run far away from that one!

However, will your boss request a doctors note for you to return to work? If so, that will probably be on letterhead with the doctors name on it. Your boss may put two and two together and figure it out.

I would tell him as soon as you have a date confirmed. Your boss may appreciate the advanced notice.

I know how you feel because so far I have chosen to share my surgery with no one!

Tell them "abdominal surgery". My coordinator sent a letter on hospital letterhead that I had surgery. It was not department specific and no other information was given. I did not tell my manager because it was none of her business.

 

I never told my boss what kind of surgery I was getting, just that I was having surgery.  All of the forms went to HR, and not my boss.  All he needed to know was when I would be gone, and whether I was cleared to return to work.  (He was a total choad warrior and would use any personal information as ammunition.  I left that job three weeks after my surgery.)

If your boss wants to know more, she or he is not entitled to any information whatsoever (HIPAA and all that).  Your health is private.

That being said, work with HR as soon as you have a date, and notify the boss of the dates you'll need off.  I found it easier to fill out the FMLA forms myself, then have my surgeon just sign them (he was delighted by this, btw).  That way, I kept the originals, and made sure they were scanned and emailed to the right people in plenty of time.

I hope your boss isn't a jerk!  Good luck.  If s/he badgers you for details, as in, "what kind of surgery are you having?", an acceptable response is, "I appreciate your concern, but I'd like to keep my health issues private."

Since I am a contract worker I told them as soon as I got my date.  My date isn't until December but, my immediate supervisor starts her vacation the day I am planning on being back to work.  I will only have to work one week before having another week off due to plant shut down for the holidays.

You don't need to tell your boss the reason for your medical leave of absence.  You only need to tell work that you need the time off and get a Doctor's note.  The note will not say what procedure you are having.  Your health information is private unless you choose to tell them.

 If your boss is a guy you may want to tell him you're having surgery but you don't want to go into the details, it's persona, etc.  He'll figure it a female thing :-)

Thank you all for the good advice.

I had a Lap-Band placed five years ago. When it was placed, I told everyone but immediate family I was having a hiatal hernia repair. Which was the absolute truth. I just failed to mention the band placement.  When the band eroded and caused a systemic infection that landed me in ICU, I told everyone it was due to complications from the surgery four years prior. Again not a lie, but still only a half-truth.

 

Now that I am contemplating WLS again, I’m not sure what my approach will be.  But, I agree with everyone else, it is a violation of privacy for your boss to question what kind of surgery.