Female Boss thinks I will only need 2 weeks off!

As and HR professional, I can tell you the following:
1. FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) is a federal law that is in place to protect workers. Your job is protected up to 12 weeks for an ADA-recognized condition.
2. Keep a log of your boss's comments/statements, and any emails etc. regarding your surgery. (Just in case you need to take legal steps.)
Best of luck to you!

Wow...she sounds compassionate......NOT!!!. I am grateful I have a job where I can take off all the time I need. Although, I will want to go back as soon as possible because Short term disability only pays 60%.

I would tell her you'll let her know when the doctor lets you know - they will ultimately decide when you are fit enough to work - might be two weeks might be 8, depends how well you recover.

I had a TAH and was signed off for 6 weeks and that was just right for my type of job but everyone is different.

The last thing you want to be concerned about is your job when all that consumes you is just getting well again - good luck and hope all goes ok

Does my heart good to hear all of your replies! It is difficult as she has never had children, nor has her organs ever adhered to her scar tissue from multiple c-sections!! I'm taking the minimum 6 weeks! Not going to worry anymore.

I agree with everone else, please take all the time you need and try not to let your boss stree you. People are clueless sometimes and we have to just laugh at them.

Like coffeebean, I am close to my two-week mark and am in no shape to return to work at this time. I was expecting to feel up to returning at this point (but took 4 weeks off just in case), but my doc won't even see me for my post-op exam until my 4 week anniversary. I had DaVinci for this surgery and for fibroid removal a few years back and both the experience and recovery were completely different. Best of luck with your surgery--take it slow during recovery.

Is there anyway to work from home? Although I am having surgery in a few days, I am hoping to be sitting up in bed with my laptop within a couple of days. Depending on your length of employment I don't think there is anything she can do about it. I think sometimes people don't think before they speak. I hope you recover quickly.

Luckily, our HR dept. is assuring me I will have no problems. They gave me my FMLA paperwork and I should be all set! Boss lady will have a cow, will cross that road when I return I guess. Great advice on documenting all comments, thanks!

After having the pre-op appointment with my OB/GYN, I decided to take six weeks off. The risks of doing too much, too quickly are not ones that I'm willing to take. I'm a hard worker with a desk job, but I want to heal correctly and not have any further problems. I've worked hard my entire adult life to support myself and my family, so I think taking six weeks when I need it is the least I should have coming to me.

Luckily, I have a male boss who agrees. I just firmly told him that I'm taking the six weeks after talking to my doctor and my boss supported me.

I do think you qualify for the FMLA, which protects you from getting fired or having your job duties changed for the worse while you are out. Talk to your HR department about that. I had to get a note from my doctor and that was it (though still trying to get the doc to send the note to my company, but that's another story).

In any case, your boss has no idea how long it will take you to recover and if she pushes you back to work too soon, it could cause permanent, serious damage to you internally. And you can tell her I said that! Tell her, she may be your boss and work, but she's not the boss of your life.

Good luck!

lrsister

Don't let her stupidity bother you. If you have the time off from HR, then she can go jump. Seriously, it can take a while to recuperate. I went back at almost three weeks and it was the stupidest thing I could have done. Let your body heal and then go back. Your boss is being a total jerk. I always find it amazing when someone thinks that they know better than the doctor. And for my job, I can't return until ;my doc clears me. So that ended that totally.