My employer will not approve my sick days for surgery (only 2 days requested) due to my doctors letter that shows that I would have restrictions of "no heavy lifting (above 20 pounds for 6 weeks)!! I was told that my director could have approved this return to work as the decision is mainly at his discretion but he did not. As a therpist, I don't even lift anything and I feel that it is ridiculous for them to be so inflexible. I wish I would have thought this through more carefully and just taken 2 sick days (including weekend) and this would be a non-issue as they don't even require a doctors not if you are not out for 3 days. I was just trying to prepare for any exceptions by letting them know I was having surgery, considering the risks of having a surgery overall. I am not yet eligible for FMLA, but I will be in Mid November. I was scheduled for surgery 10-19-12 originally, but have rescheduled it for November 16. Can you believe that I will be forced to take 6 weeks off due to this restriction?? How disruptive will this be to my team-coworkers? Then again, at least my employment will be protected.

I was told that I will not have to do all my preop stuff again-just the labs.

Thanks for letting me vent!

So sorry you have to wait and take off so much time from work. Every employer has different rules and because of that they protect themselves. Glad your job will be protected. Good luck with your surgery.

I would be positively livid!

Couldn't you just call in sick, then provide a doctor's note when you return, including the no lifting restriction? Then they wouldn't have a choice in the matter.

I'm so sorry this happened. I'd be so p!ssed if I were you!

Hang in there.

I took personal time off because the HR person is the blabbermouth of the office. If I would have taken sick time you can bet she would have turned private eye.

I would be through the roof crazy if I were you. Is there any way that you can sit down with your employer and discuss this, even taking the 6 weeks off in Nov is excessive. I work in an office, no lifting and could have probably gone back 5 days post op, I took a week and that was plenty.

Good luck to you, consider it a hiccup in the road.

I work in HR. I would recommend that if you still want the surgery that ask the HR person if she truly feels that your restriction is not a reasonable accommodation based on your essential job functions. Use those exact words. Companies have a legal obligation to make accommodations for temporary or permanent reasonable accommodations. If she still does not think so, ask her if she thinks it would be covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. I have a feeling that you may get your restrictions approved. If not and you work for a regional or national company, contact your integrity hotline and/or corporate HR team.

I would call of sick in a heart beat.

So sorry. That stinks. Praying time goes fast for you while you wait!

Thanks Everyone for your support. I am still researching this and hoping that I don't need to take all of my time off and that they will accomodate me when I go for surgery next month.

I wanted to go back to work in nursing in 2 weeks, but my job made me take a whole month off because doc wrote I couldn't lift over 10lbs for 4 weeks. I was pissed too, but had no choice.

If ur a therapist I would say ur gonna need at least 2 weeks, don't ya think? Forget lifting, u won't even be able to bend over if ur patient requires that for some reason. At least I couldn't bend for a few weeks

At least assuming u meant u do physical therapy

My employer will not approve my sick days for surgery (only 2 days requested) due to my doctors letter that shows that I would have restrictions of "no heavy lifting (above 20 pounds for 6 weeks)!! I was told that my director could have approved this return to work as the decision is mainly at his discretion but he did not. As a therpist' date=' I don't even lift anything and I feel that it is ridiculous for them to be so inflexible. I wish I would have thought this through more carefully and just taken 2 sick days (including weekend) and this would be a non-issue as they don't even require a doctors not if you are not out for 3 days. I was just trying to prepare for any exceptions by letting them know I was having surgery, considering the risks of having a surgery overall. I am not yet eligible for FMLA, but I will be in Mid November. I was scheduled for surgery 10-19-12 originally, but have rescheduled it for November 16. Can you believe that I will be forced to take 6 weeks off due to this restriction?? How disruptive will this be to my team-coworkers? Then again, at least my employment will be protected.

I was told that I will not have to do all my preop stuff again-just the labs.

Thanks for letting me vent![/quote']

What a bunch of jerks! Sounds like you need to get fit and move your skinny tail elsewhere. You don't qualify for fmla because you haven't been there a year?

I wanted to go back to work in nursing in 2 weeks, but my job made me take a whole month off because doc wrote I couldn't lift over 10lbs for 4 weeks. I was pissed too, but had no choice.

If ur a therapist I would say ur gonna need at least 2 weeks, don't ya think? Forget lifting, u won't even be able to bend over if ur patient requires that for some reason. At least I couldn't bend for a few weeks

I do mental health/psychiatric therapy/ talk therapy.

What a bunch of jerks! Sounds like you need to get fit and move your skinny tail elsewhere. You don't qualify for fmla because you haven't been there a year?

Yes I have only been here 11 months, I will qualify for FMLA next month.

Yes I have only been here 11 months' date=' I will qualify for FMLA next month.[/quote']

I would take prettysmart1913's advise. Keep us posted!