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Refusing to visit occupational health

Victoria

Hi everyone!

We have an employee who returned from maternity leave in June this year, she came back to work with reduced hours (9:15am-16:00pm) and on a four day week basis. Since returning to the office the employee seems to have a different issue nearly every week meaning she needs to work from home or is sick. Every illness is a mystery and needs numerous hospital appointments and it never gets resolved by the doctor (always ongoing). 

Recently the employee hurt her knee falling over (out of work) and the employee has purchased a leg brace as the NHS refused to issue one - we also provide private health care with BUPA and they did not give one. As an employer we have been as flexible as possible in allowing working from home for two weeks, two physio appointments a week during work time and doctors appointments. But the leg has been causing issue's for a month now so we have requested the employee visit occupational health.

This is partly because we want to see if their are any recommendations by the doctor and partly because we are worried their are underlying issues with the employee. We are worried that all of these problems are a cry for attention. 

The employee is refusing to visit occupation health because she doesn't feel it is necessary. Please can I have some advice on options for our next move?

We value the employee but the situation is becoming increasingly difficult for her line manager and taking up a lot of time. 

Thank you

Victoria!

Parents

  • Is she contractually obliged to attend an OH appointment?  If not, then you can only go off the information you have and follow your absence procedure.   Have you explained that it is a supportive measure and that she will have the opportunity to see the report before you do? Although she doesn't see it as necessary, have you asked if she has any other worries about attending an OH appointment?

    At the moment you only know that she has sporadic absences related to a number of different things?  I would just follow your procedure and remind her that you can only use the information you have and decisions will be made on the information to hand (plus a reminder that the OH is a supportive measure).

    Would she perhaps be open to you requesting a GP report?

Reply

  • Is she contractually obliged to attend an OH appointment?  If not, then you can only go off the information you have and follow your absence procedure.   Have you explained that it is a supportive measure and that she will have the opportunity to see the report before you do? Although she doesn't see it as necessary, have you asked if she has any other worries about attending an OH appointment?

    At the moment you only know that she has sporadic absences related to a number of different things?  I would just follow your procedure and remind her that you can only use the information you have and decisions will be made on the information to hand (plus a reminder that the OH is a supportive measure).

    Would she perhaps be open to you requesting a GP report?

Children
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