Need a little help please. I finally got approved for surgery yesterday I am so excited but I need a little advice from everyone. I work in a accounting cpa office and they do not allow any vacation days to be taken from Jan thru April 15th and I tried to have this surgery before then but I could not get approval. Now my husbands company is getting bought out and his insurance will change probably by the end of January so if I do not have this surgery as quick as possible I will not be able to have it because I do not know if his new insurance will cover bariatric surgery. So any help with how to talk to my employer will be appreciated. We are a small firm with about 4 employees besides my boss. I know everyone says this is a elective surgery which I do not agree with this is my health even my husband says its elective and I disagree with him. I just need a little advice from other people that understand. Please do not just read I really need some advice.

Talk to your doctor. They say you are usually off for 1 month, but depending how you feel, you may be able to go back sooner, seeing as you have a desk job. I would take the time anyway. You health is very important. If you don't have your health you don't have much. Maybe see if you can work from home?

Maybe they would accept a doctors note that this is for health reasons and cannot be put off any longer? I think they would have to let you. Try this, let me know if it works.

Thank you so much for your comments. I will let you know how it went.

I have a desk job and took 2 weeks off. I go back on Monday and have low energy but think I will be fine. As a small firm they are not under the FMLA rules but I think a talk from the heart with your manager is your best bet. If you can get the surgery earlier in the month the better since taxes get busier towards the end January. Good luck!

Maybe contacting the scheduling nurse for your surgery could help you as well. Maybe she can try to move some patients around to accommodate your situation and get you in ASAP?? I hope everything goes okay and you can begin your journey on time and as planned. Good luck and please keep us posted.

Sounds like an honest discussion with your boss is the way to go. I only was out 10 days. Had my surgery on a Wednesday so took off 3 days (Wed-Fri) that week, then the weekend, then a full work week, another weekend, and back to work on Monday. I was ready to go back by then but everyone's different and you want to be able to take as much time as you need. Often, people will surprise us if we let them in and be a little vulnerable. If you tell your boss that you need to confide something and hope they will keep it confidential, and how important it is for your health, and so on, he/she may become a big support to you later. Best of luck!

Another idea - would they let you work from home for part of the time? You may be too tired the first week but by the 2nd week if no complications, you might be up to at least some part time work at home.

You have FMLA in this country for a reason. Assuming it's the us based on those dates

You apply for disability and you get the time you need and your job is protected.

Don't understand why people don't take advantage of protections put in place

@@Jersrose43, FMLA only applies to businesses with 50 or more employees. @@tphillips124 works at a very small company with only "about 4 employees besides my boss", so is not eligible for FMLA.

I never knew I had such cause to be grateful that I work for a large company, but this board is teaching me that. I have been grappling with the issue of how much time to take off and how much to tell people at work, but those have been unquestionable MY decisions. The idea that my my employer would have a say in when and how I do this, or that I could lose my job for having surgery, or be in some way restricted in how much time I can take to recover, horrifies me.

@@tphillips124 and everyone else in this position, you have my sincerest sympathies.

I agree with the above statements your health is important I would just get a letter from your doctor informing them that you are sheduled for surgery the letter does not have to explained that you are having weight lost surgery either my letter just stated that I would be off work for a specific amount of days under my doctors care to get my diabetics.high blood pressure under control.

Edited December 28, 201411 yr by Cupcake

Thanks everyone for the comments they are so appreciated. I do not have a specific surgery date yet but I know it is going to be in January. When I go to work in the morning I am going to talk to my boss. I am just going to let her know if I could wait on this surgery till after April I would but since my husbands company is getting bought out I do not have any choice but to have it as soon as possible. Surely she will understand and I will not lose my job. FMLA is not a option since we are a small company. Prayers for me in the morning are appreciated.

Hi tphillips, Just wondering how things went with your discussion with employer. I hope you were understood and they were supportive.