Hello everyone, I have my surgery in two weeks and plan on taking sick time.

I have over 200 sick days available.

The other day, while at my pre-op visit, my surgeon asked if I was completing my FMLA forms. I didn't know what he meant by that. When I asked him if I had to, he said he wasn't sure, Told me to check with my HR department-obviously every company is different.

Was this surgery not covered as sick time for you guys? Did you have to use short-term disability?

One of my friends at work mentioned she thought of having plastic surgery but she was told by HR since it was an elective surgery, time off it wouldn't be paid.

I tried calling my HR department earlier this week but kept getting transferred. Will try again this week but in the meantime just looking for feedback.

Thank you

In that is correct on FMLA. FMLA is put in place basically to secure your job so that while you're out you will not be penalized for being out or absent from your job basically secures your job. so that is what FMLA is family medical leave act

Not all employers offer std with a %of your check. Many offer std with 0 pay

FMLA will protect you while you are out. You cannot be penalized for being out (ex you didn't finish that paper by x date you're fired - you were on PTO is not an excuse should've cancelled PTO)

God forbid something happens and you're out for a long time. They can't post your job and offer it to someone else for at least 6 months. And then they have to guarantee you a job to come back to because it FMLA protections.

Std and FMLA go hand in hand. File the paperwork for FMLA and go thru that process. If you decide to get full pay for it and go pto then cll the std carrier AFTER your surgery and retract the filing.

Talk to your hr department to understand if you can do that. My employer is full std pay but my former employer was 0 pay for std.

I filed with my former for a nasal surgery and then was able to retract it as I was able to be up and working from home after 2 days.

Thank you, I plan on filing for FMLA today.

Geez, 200 days sick time? I am partners in a small business so no such thing as paid time off for ANYTHING. No work=no income. I scheduled my surgery to take advantage of weekends and Christmas so I only had to miss 4 days. You guys are very lucky to have so many benefit options.

I kept it all a secret so I used my vacation time as to not need to go thru the medical questions from co-workers.

My company does not have sick time and I had already used all my vacation time earlier in the year with a DVT/ PE. I took off a week and two days and returned to work. I was tired, exhausted, the first week or so back. But physically that was my only issue. Mentally I wish I had another few days to have got my head in the game so to speak, but it just wasn't possible. I didn't have to sign up for FMLA because my job was never in jeopardy, I just had to be off without pay. ( Of course they failed to mention that part until the day before I returned to work!) All seems like forever ago, I am almost at my 1st "surgi-vesary".

A little of both. I had to use 1 week of sick time before STD kicked in so I used that, then the STD.

I have to use 5 vacation days then short term disability at 80 percent kicks in. I wanted to take 3-4 weeks off but my dr won't allow says two weeks. It's not fair to your employer. ????

My employer's STD has a 2 week waiting period. During that time, I was paid sick/vacation time, then the STD kicked in for one day. FLMA paperwork was also completed - as mentioned previously, that was just to protect my job & doesn't have anything to do with pay.

Geez, 200 days sick time? I am partners in a small business so no such thing as paid time off for ANYTHING. No work=no income. I scheduled my surgery to take advantage of weekends and Christmas so I only had to miss 4 days. You guys are very lucky to have so many benefit options.

Kindle, 215 days to be exact. I should add that I've been at my company for 25 years. I agree, I am very fortunate & I still like my job.

I kept it all a secret so I used my vacation time as to not need to go thru the medical questions from co-workers.

Although I have 110 hours of sick time and 4 weeks vacation banked I think I may do the same. Kathy posted a question that I have been pondering for some time now, but quite honestly, I dont wanna be bothered with nosey co-workers. While I know HR cannot ask me what surgery I am having, I work in a small group of women and I know for sure when i make this request for 3 weeks of sick time off I am gonna be hit with questions. I just dont wanna be bothered. Not to mention...This surgery may have complications. If complications should arise I would rather use sick time and short term disability then.

I had/have 200 hours of sick time saved and will use all of it if I need to, before returning to work. Surgeon recommended 6 weeks off and if that is what I need to do to do to maximize the benefit and long term success, I will take a week of vacation also when sick leave runs out.

While I am impressed with those that have had out pt surgery, gone right back to work, or had shorter leave from work, my set up is working well for me and with over 25 years in at same company, I have been able to use accrued sick leave for having babies, having other surgeries, and taking care of an ill spouse, and know that I will be able to pick up where I left off (no one does my job in my absence) with very minimal collateral damage. This is perhaps the biggest thing I have ever done for myself and these long boring days are helping me to wrap my head around the life changing events that began several months ago!!

I took one week vacation. I was very ready after 7 days to get back to work. I do have a desk job but no fatigue or pain on day 7 for me.

Even if you have a lot of time saved, it's not a bad idea to fill out FMLA paperwork and open a case with the short term disability people. You don't have to use it, but it's not bad to start the discussion and at least be sure you know how it all works so if something goes wrong you're not trying to recover AND figure out what comes next. I've been there and done that in an emergency surgery situation and making those phone calls while high on pain meds is not productive, lol.

I just started both of those processes at work myself - the PLAN is to take a week off, then work from home until I'm released to physically return to the office. If things go to hell in a handbasket though, I can "activate" the short term disability after I use up all my vacation time. FMLA will protect my job for 12 weeks (which can be used intermittently, so if I'm back in a week, then develop a leak a month later and need to go back out, I know I at least have a job to go back to...better safe than sorry, right?)

Roundshape I did just that a couple days ago. I was really confused & I didn't understand the process. But you guys

clarified it for me and when I called my carrier they

answered my additional questions. Forms are in the mail. Thanks everyone!